Pochettino says Spurs deserved 2017 title over Chelsea

Mauricio Pochettino has asserted that Tottenham Hotspur ought to have been awarded the 2016-17 Premier League title. The former Spurs manager, who led the club from 2014 to 2019, stated that Chelsea, who secured the title that season, should have been penalised more severely for historical breaches of competition rules.

Chelsea were fined £10.75 million in March after the Premier League charged them with historical rule infringements. The club admitted to making £47 million in undisclosed payments to unregistered agents and third parties concerning transfers between 2011 and 2018. These payments were not disclosed to regulatory authorities at the time.

Pochettino, whose Tottenham team finished second to Chelsea by seven points in the 2016-17 season, argued that the title should have been awarded to his team. "We should win one title, one Premier League," Pochettino told BBC London. "We should have been awarded it."

He added that Chelsea's punishment, which included a fine that was reduced by 50% due to the club's self-reporting and cooperation, was insufficient. "[Chelsea] were punished, they admitted, so that's it? The title should be for the team that was second," he said. "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."

The Premier League's investigation found that payments were made to players, unregistered agents, and other third parties that were not disclosed. Transfers involving players such as Eden Hazard, Willian, and David Luiz were linked to these undisclosed payments. The Premier League concluded that Chelsea would not have breached profitability and sustainability rules had these payments been registered, which influenced their decision not to impose a points deduction.

Pochettino, who later managed Chelsea for the 2023-24 season, maintained his stance. "It's not me complaining - it's the truth," he stated. "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."

In addition to the £10.75 million fine, Chelsea also received a £750,000 penalty and a nine-month academy transfer ban for registering academy players between 2019 and 2022. The club's owners, Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital, self-reported 74 breaches of Football Association rules upon their purchase of the club in 2022.