Mauricio Pochettino expressed his anticipation for an “extraordinary” return to the club where he created unforgettable memories as Chelsea’s head coach during their upcoming visit to Tottenham.
The Argentine spent five years as the manager of Spurs before his dismissal in 2019, leading the club to its first-ever Champions League final in the same year.
He is set to make his long-awaited return to the North London club for the first time in four years when Chelsea faces Tottenham on Monday night (20:00 GMT).
“For me, it will be a joyful day,” Pochettino, aged 51, commented on Friday.
“While we are professionals, we are also human and we feel emotions.
“It’s truly special to revisit a place where we shared remarkable memories together. I won’t deny that. It’s genuine.
“When we departed the club, it was a challenging period, but now I have the opportunity to return and encounter many individuals who are still part of the organization. It’s going to be an exhilarating moment.”
In response to whether revisiting Tottenham, currently considered title contenders this season, would be akin to encountering a former partner, Pochettino humorously quipped, “It’s complicated because I’ve spent nearly 32 years with my wife, and I don’t know if I remember, or even if I ever had a girlfriend before.”
Following his departure from Tottenham, former Espanyol boss Pochettino took charge at Paris St-Germain in 2021, where he clinched his first managerial honors by winning the 2021 Coupe de France and the 2022 Ligue 1 title.
He returned to the Premier League with Chelsea, a six-time English champion, in July, with the task of rejuvenating the Blues’ fortunes following a disappointing 12th-place finish in the previous season.
In a match that became memorable as the ‘Battle of the Bridge’ in 2016, it was at Chelsea that Pochettino’s Tottenham saw their Premier League title hopes shattered by their London rivals. Chelsea rallied from a 2-0 deficit to confirm Leicester City’s remarkable triumph.
While Pochettino admitted that he is uncertain about the reception he will receive when returning to the club as Chelsea’s manager, he emphasized that his own sentiments towards Tottenham would remain unchanged.
“I won’t make any statements at this time. We can’t speculate until Monday,” Pochettino remarked.
“We can’t forget the experiences we shared, and I will respect the sentiments of the people and how they feel. It won’t alter my emotions and feelings about a club where we embarked on an extraordinary journey.
“I’ve always said that the only clubs I would never manage are Arsenal, because they are considered Tottenham’s arch-nemesis, and Barcelona, due to my affiliation with Espanyol.”
