Pochettino says Chelsea’s 2016/17 Premier League title should be awarded to Spurs | OneFootball

Mauricio Pochettino believes Chelsea should be stripped of their 2016-17 Premier League title and that his former Tottenham side should instead be crowned champions.

Antonio Conte’s Chelsea finished seven points clear of Spurs that season, but the Blues have since been punished over historical breaches relating to payments made during the previous ownership.

Chelsea were fined £10.75million in March after being charged by the Premier League, having self-reported potential breaches following the Todd Boehly-Clearlake Capital takeover in 2022.

And Pochettino, who managed Tottenham between 2014 and 2019 before later spending a season in charge of Chelsea, believes Spurs should now be awarded the title.

“We should win one title, one Premier League,” the current USA head coach said. “We should have been awarded it.

“Chelsea were punished, they admitted, so that’s it? The title should be for the team that was second.

“It’s true that we didn’t compete with the same rules. It’s completely fair to say that we didn’t compete before the start of the season with the same card.”

Chelsea admitted making £47m in previously undisclosed payments to unregistered agents and third parties relating to transfers between 2011 and 2018.

“Maybe with the same rules, if we apply the same things, maybe we could’ve signed some players that would have made the team better or scored more goals,” he said.

“It’s not me complaining – it’s the truth. If they admitted they broke the rules, the Premier League title was for the second-best team.

“I’m not scared to say the truth. The Chelsea fans will be upset with me because I’m saying this, but if we were at Tottenham and broke the rules I’d admit the same.”