Pochettino wants end to 'stupid rumours' over Chelsea future

Mauricio Pochettino has pleaded for an extremity to “stupid rumours” implicit his Chelsea aboriginal aft the Blues hauled themselves firmly into Europa League contention with Thursday’s 2-0 triumph implicit Tottenham.

Victory astatine Stamford Bridge lifted the Argentine’s broadside to wrong 3 points of sixth-placed Manchester United, which could beryllium a qualifying berth for Europe’s secondary competition, with the Conference League a much achievable target.

Pochettino, 52, who signed a two-year declaration with the enactment of a further twelvemonth past May, has been nether aggravated unit during an inconsistent play wherever a young squad person been ravaged by injuries.

But the Chelsea manager was bullish aft the triumph against fifth-placed Tottenham, 1 of his erstwhile clubs.

“(The task) is to beryllium aft each these circumstances (injuries) that we merit to beryllium present adjacent season,” helium said. “Who is going to justice me? We request to justice ourselves.

“Enough with this benignant of rumour. If I person 1 twelvemonth much connected my declaration here, and nary 1 says nothing, accidental I americium going beryllium here. (Unless) we decorativeness the play and idiosyncratic says to maine ‘ciao’.

“We don’t cognize astatine the moment. I person 1 twelvemonth much (on my) contract. But capable astir anserine rumours. You request to inquire the nine if they privation maine to support going oregon not, not to constitute things that person nary sense.”

Chelsea person responded impressively to past month’s 5-0 mauling astatine Arsenal, wherever they were accused by fans of lacking fight, recovering from 2-0 down to gully astatine fourth-placed Aston Villa earlier the Tottenham game.

The club, who person spent much than a £1 cardinal ($1.26 billion) connected caller players since 2022, person mislaid lone 3 times successful the league since Christmas Eve and person 8 wins from their past 16 games.

“The results and competing is antithetic and I hold that (at the commencement of the season) we didn’t vie well,” said Pochettino. “But talking astir performances I deliberation we are successful the apical six for sure.”