Mauricio Pochettino recognizes the formidable challenge of clinching the Premier League title as long as Pep Guardiola remains at the helm of Manchester City.
Chelsea, gearing up to face the reigning champions at Stamford Bridge this Sunday, find themselves 11 points adrift of Guardiola’s treble-winning side after trailing by a substantial 45 points last season.
Despite an expenditure exceeding £1 billion under owner Todd Boehly’s 18-month tenure, Chelsea has witnessed a slide down the league standings, plummeting from third place in the 2021-22 season to a modest 12th position last year. Pochettino, at the helm since July, consistently defends the team’s results, highlighting the investment in young, inexperienced players who require time to mature.
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Mauricio Pochettino Speaking In A Press Conference
“I think we are all trying to be close to their level,” said Pochettino. “That’s the idea, that’s the challenge. It’ll be tough of course. If he continues there, he has the experience the capacity, and the knowledge. He’s a great coach. It’s going to be tough to beat Manchester City.
“But we need to believe. Football is about belief and to try to develop and to create some different strategies to try to be above them.”
As Chelsea prepares for the clash in west London, Pochettino concedes that overcoming City remains a formidable task with Guardiola at the helm. Acknowledging Guardiola’s experience, capacity, and knowledge, Pochettino emphasizes the need for belief in football, aiming to develop different strategies to surpass City.
Pochettino, recalling previous success against Guardiola and City in the Champions League with Tottenham in 2019, remains optimistic but acknowledges that their genuine opportunity to vie for the league title was in 2016 when they contended with Leicester.
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Despite falling short in that league campaign, Pochettino commends City for their consistent improvement, especially evident in winning the Champions League last season after years of backing Guardiola’s project.
In reflecting on City’s journey, Pochettino credits Pep and the organization for building something truly special, highlighting the challenges they faced in securing their first Champions League title and the consistent improvement over the years.
