Mauricio Pochettino has argued that Tottenham Hotspur should have been awarded the 2016-17 Premier League title, asserting that Chelsea competed unfairly during that campaign. The former Spurs manager believes the trophy ought to have gone to the team that finished second after the Blues admitted to significant rule breaches.
Chelsea were recently fined £10.75 million by the Premier League for historical violations of competition rules. Although a six-point deduction was initially imposed, it was overturned on appeal. Pochettino’s side finished seven points behind Antonio Conte’s Chelsea side in the 2016-17 season.
The controversy stems from actions taken under previous ownership. When Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital purchased the club in 2022, they self-reported 74 breaches of Football Association regulations. These admissions revealed that £47 million in undisclosed payments was made to unregistered agents and third parties regarding transfer deals between 2011 and 2018.
Pochettino, who managed Tottenham from 2014 to 2019, did not shy away from the contentious claim. “We should win one title, one Premier League. We should have been awarded it,” he said. “They were punished, they admitted it, so that’s it? The title should be for the team that was second.”
He added: “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.”
During his tenure at Tottenham, Pochettino guided the club to the 2019 Champions League final but failed to secure a trophy. Their highest league finish remained second place, achieved in the season in question. The Argentine also later managed Chelsea during the 2023-24 season.
Reflecting on the competitive imbalance, Pochettino suggested the outcome might have differed with level playing fields. “Maybe with the same rules, if we apply the same things, maybe we could’ve signed some players that would have made the team better or scored more goals,” he noted.
Emphasizing that his remarks were based on facts rather than complaint, he stated: “It’s not me complaining. It’s the truth. If they admitted they broke the rules, the Premier League title was for the second-best team.”
Pochettino concluded by asserting his willingness to be honest regardless of the reaction, adding, “I’m not scared to say the truth. The Chelsea fans will be upset with me because I’m saying this, but if we were at Tottenham and broke the rules I’d admit the same.”
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