**Spurs Should Be Awarded 2016-17 Title After Chelsea Rule Breaches, Says Pochettino**
Mauricio Pochettino, the former manager of Tottenham Hotspur, has asserted that Chelsea should be stripped of their 2016-17 Premier League title due to recent findings of rule breaches. Pochettino, who now manages the United States national team, believes the title should be awarded to Spurs, who finished second that season.
In March 2023, Chelsea was fined a record £10.75 million ($14.56 million) for historical breaches of Premier League regulations. This fine followed the club’s voluntary report in 2022, which disclosed evidence of potential violations related to third-party payments and financial reporting. An investigation revealed that from 2011 to 2018, Chelsea had made undisclosed payments to players, unregistered agents, and other third parties, which contravened league rules.
During the 2016-17 season, Chelsea, under the management of Antonio Conte, secured the Premier League title with a total of 93 points. Tottenham, managed by Pochettino at the time, finished second with 86 points, marking a record for the club. Pochettino expressed his belief that if Chelsea's rule breaches are confirmed, Spurs deserve recognition as the rightful champions of that season.
“We should win one Premier League, we should have been awarded it,” Pochettino stated. “If that (Chelsea breaking rules) was true, then we deserve to be champions that year, for sure. They were punished, they admitted it? So that’s it. The title should be for the team that was second.”
Pochettino emphasized the importance of fair competition, stating that Spurs did not have the same opportunities as Chelsea due to the rule violations. “Maybe with the same rules, we could have signed some players that would have made the team better or scored more goals,” he added.
The former Spurs manager acknowledged Chelsea's on-field success, noting that the team performed well that season. However, he maintained that adherence to rules is crucial in determining rightful champions. “I don’t say that Chelsea didn’t play well, that Conte was not great. I don’t want the message to be twisted. But if you broke the rules then ciao – you need to give it to another team,” Pochettino remarked.
Chelsea has accepted the penalties imposed by the Premier League, which included a one-year first-team transfer ban, suspended for two years, along with a nine-month transfer ban for their academy. The club has committed to covering the full costs of the league’s investigation.
As the debate continues over the implications of Chelsea's rule breaches, Pochettino’s comments have reignited discussions about the integrity of competition within the Premier League. The outcome of Chelsea's violations raises questions about the enforcement of regulations and the potential for historical titles to be reassessed.
Reuters has reached out to Chelsea for further comment on Pochettino's statements and the ongoing discourse surrounding the 2016-17 title. As the football community reflects on these developments, the conversation about fairness and compliance in the sport remains at the forefront.