Mauricio Pochettino has claimed Tottenham should be awarded the Premier League title from the 2016-17 campaign.
Pochettino guided Spurs to second during that season behind Chelsea, who finished champions by seven points under Antonio Conte.
Chelsea have since been charged by the Premier League for historical breaches of competition rules and were fined £10.75million ($14.5m) in March, along with being hit by an immediate nine-month academy transfer ban.
The Premier League found that, between 2011 and 2018, undisclosed payments by third parties associated with the club were made to players, unregistered agents and other parties. The league said Chelsea had breached its rules by failing to disclose the payments, although it concluded the club would not have breached its financial rules had the payments been included in their historical submissions.
Information was shared by owner Todd Boehly after his consortium completed its takeover of the west London club in 2022 and Chelsea were also charged by the Football Association with 74 alleged breaches of the governing body’s rules.
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United States boss Pochettino, during a wide-ranging chat with UK media earlier this week, said: “We should win one title, one Premier League. We should have been awarded it.
“They 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. OK, now we can say that they scored goals, they won games, and like this. OK, that’s it, but it’s completely fair to say that we didn’t compete before the start of the season with the same card.
“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.
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“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.”
Pochettino spent five years in charge of Spurs and inspired a memorable run to the Champions League final in 2019 before he was dismissed five months later by Daniel Levy.
Levy has since lost his role as Tottenham chairman after he was invited to step down by majority owners the Lewis family last September.
“I think he feels like [I did] when I was sacked! Now he knows the feeling,” said Pochettino, who went on to spend a season in charge of the Blues in 2023-24.
“Of course I am not happy that now he feels the same … Yes, it’s difficult because for him, 25 years, building his house, his club, and what happened after, for sure was tough for him.”
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The 2025-26 campaign proved enormously challenging for Spurs, who only avoided relegation on the final day.
Pochettino could only watch on as he prepared for the summer World Cup, but insisted he would have helped out his old club if they had gone down to the Championship and during last season if he had not been USA boss.
“The problem was that the timings were never the best. When I was free, I never received a contact and then when I was working, I received a contact,” the Argentinian added.
“In this [difficult] moment, they called everyone — free or not free.
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“If I was free, of course, I come, but I wasn’t free. I was preparing the World Cup.
“It was a little bit unlucky. But maybe one day the stars will align and it can happen.”
Even if Spurs were in the Championship?
Pochettino insisted: “Yes, of course. It’s the only club that always I am open to help.
“Whatever division. Another club, no, but Tottenham, yes.”
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After Roberto De Zerbi masterminded survival, the Italian has been backed by the Lewis family in an extraordinary summer of spending which has seen more than £350m committed on new players.
It is in stark contrast to Pochettino’s time, when a prudent budget was run — largely down to the fact the club’s stadium was being rebuilt — and his final full season at the club (2018-19) occurred without a single player signed.
But Pochettino said: “I am happy if Tottenham now have the possibility to spend and to bring proven players, who have already played in the Premier League — it’s good for the club
“I am happy because I feel Tottenham. It’s still my club and I want the best for them. And if that happens, it’s good. I’ll be so happy for the fans and the people.”
