Mauricio Pochettino says Tottenham ‘should be awarded’ 2017 Premier League title after Chelsea sanctions | OneFootball

Mauricio Pochettino says Tottenham should be retrospectively handed the 2016-17 Premier League title after Chelsea were punished for agent‑rule breaches, arguing the champions that season no longer merit the crown.

Speaking to The Guardian, he said: "We should have won the title, it should have been given to us." He added: "If that is true, then we deserve to be champions that year, for sure."

Chelsea pleaded guilty to 74 breaches of rule E1.2 concerning opaque payments to agents and intermediaries between 2009 and 2022. In late July the FA issued a £10m fine and a suspended ban covering two registration windows, after the Premier League fined the club £10.75m in March. The club self‑reported following the 2022 takeover by Todd Boehly and BlueCo after Roman Abramovich was forced to sell amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Deals for Eden Hazard, Willian, David Luiz and Nemanja Matic were among those deemed non‑compliant, and those players were central to the 2016-17 triumph under Antonio Conte. Tottenham finished second that season, seven points behind Chelsea.

"They were sanctioned, they admitted it, full stop," Pochettino said. "Before the season we did not have the same cards. Maybe with the same rules we could have signed players to make the team stronger or score more. Chelsea supporters will be angry, but if Tottenham had broken the rules I would accept the same, we would not deserve the title." Pochettino managed Spurs from 2014 to 2019, led Chelsea in 2023-24, and now coaches the United States men’s national team.

Source: L'Équipe

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