Mauricio Pochettino calls for Chelsea to be stripped and Tottenham to be given Premier League title

United States boss Mauricio Pochettino has had his say after finishing as runner-up to Chelsea when in charge of Tottenham

Mauricio Pochettino believes Chelsea should be stripped of a Premier League title and that it should be awarded to Tottenham, after the Blues broke the rules during the 2016/17 season.

Chelsea were fined and given a suspended transfer ban by both the Premier League and the Football Association after admitting violations of transfer rules between 2011 and 2018. The club owned up to making £47million in illegal payments t o agents, including during the signing of Eden Hazard.

The west London side received some leniency after current owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital self-reported the issue after buying the club from Roman Abramovich in 2022.

Pochettino, who also managed Chelsea between 2023 and 2024, was unable to win a trophy during his time with Tottenham. The Lilywhites received plenty of plaudits during the Argentine's time in charge as they reached the Champions League final.

Spurs' best finish in the Premier League came when they finished second to Chelsea in 2017. Now, Pochettino believes Spurs should be honoured after being at an unfair disadvantage.

Pochettino, speaking via Mirror Football, said: “I’ve said that, that we should win one title, one Premier League. We should have been awarded it. If that was true and that happened, for sure, we deserve to be champions for that year, because we were the second best.

“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.

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“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,

“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.

“We were fighting with this club (who worked) in a completely different way to us. But I think we deserve more. We (should) get the respect for what we were doing. We operated in a different way.”

The former Chelsea boss has conceded his words will be unpopular at Stamford Bridge. He sees the issue as being very black and white, however.

Pochettino added: “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 and say ‘look, we don't deserve the title because we broke the rules.’

“It's impossible if only some clubs play with offside and another plays with no offside. Or one plays with VAR and another plays with no VAR.

“No. For everyone it needs to be the same rules. And then the capacity to create the best team. I don't say that they didn't play well, that was Conte, the coach was great, and everything. I don't say that. And I don't want this message is twisted.

“But if you broke the rules, in the moment, then ‘ciao’ - you need to give it to another team. I don't know what didn't happen.”