Pochettino Calls for Chelsea to Lose 2016-17 Premier League Title

Posted : 10 September 2026

Former Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino has called for Chelsea to be stripped of their 2016-17 Premier League title and for Tottenham to be retrospectively crowned champions. Pochettino's Spurs finished second that season, seven points behind Antonio Conte's Chelsea, who collected 93 points.

The comments come after Chelsea were punished for historical regulatory violations dating back to the Roman Abramovich era. The club was fined £10.75 million by the Premier League in March and later received a separate £10 million fine from the Football Association after admitting 74 breaches involving agents, intermediaries and third-party investment regulations.

Chelsea's current ownership reported the potential breaches to football authorities after completing the club's takeover in 2022. The Premier League investigation covered undisclosed payments and other irregularities linked to transactions during the previous ownership period.

Pochettino believes those violations compromised the competitive balance of the 2016-17 campaign. He argued that Tottenham did not enter the season with the same opportunities as Chelsea and suggested that the title should therefore have been awarded to the team that finished second.

The Argentine acknowledged Chelsea's performances and Conte's managerial achievements during their title-winning campaign, but maintained that sporting success should not override the requirement to follow the regulations. He also said he would take the same position if Tottenham had been the club found guilty of breaking the rules.

Chelsea's FA punishment ultimately consisted of the £10 million fine and a suspended two-window registration ban. An initial six-point deduction was overturned on appeal, while the club also faced Premier League sanctions over its historical financial reporting and third-party investment breaches.

Pochettino has a personal connection to both sides of the dispute. He led Tottenham from 2014 to 2019 and guided them to their highest Premier League finish in decades before later taking charge of Chelsea during the 2023-24 season.

The 54-year-old is now focused on his role as United States head coach. He recently extended his contract with the national team through the 2030 World Cup, but his latest comments have reopened the debate over whether clubs should face sporting consequences for historical financial and regulatory violations.

Pochettino Calls for Chelsea to Lose 2016-17 Premier League Title

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