“It’s crazy but I have to play them” — Mauricio Pochettino

Chelsea boss, Mauricio Pochettino takes a page out of Jurgen Klopp’s complaint book by striking at the ridiculousness of having to play South American players at a short space of time on return from international duty.

In a lighthearted remark, Mauricio Pochettino, has playfully suggested that the club’s owners might “kill him” if he had failed to start the two key players in the recent match against Arsenal, despite their demanding international schedule.

The London Blues faced Arsenal and saw a two-goal lead slip away at Stamford Bridge on Saturday evening. Notably, Pochettino had to contend with several key players sidelined due to injuries.

Despite this, he fielded a strong lineup, including the duo of Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez, both of whom came with a significant price tag, costing the club a combined £222 million.

Caicedo and Fernandez were not only included in the starting lineup but also played the full 90 minutes of the match, despite their late return from international duty.

Mauricio Pochettino commented on the demanding schedule his players faced, saying,

“It’s crazy for players to come back from South America on Wednesday and play on Saturday. But if I say ‘OK, I’m going to give them a rest,’ you [the media] will kill me, for sure if they don’t play – and the owner also!”

He acknowledged the challenges players face when transitioning from international duties to club matches and recognized the importance of these players to the team.

“Today, Caicedo and Enzo arrived after two games in America, and they were not fresh. But they are important players for us,” Pochettino added.