Chelsea boss Pochettino ‘not happy’ as Premier League ruin anniversary with wife

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Chelsea head coach Mauricio Pochettino has hit out at the Premier League’s controversial decision to schedule their clash with Wolves on Christmas Eve. Blues fans have been up in arms after league officials chose the fixture to take place the day before Christmas for the first time in 28 years, and the Argentinian is in full agreement with the club’s fanbase as he revealed how it will impact his anniversary plans with his wife.

The 51-year-old has been in charge since July and has overseen a four-game unbeaten run in all competitions after a rocky start to the season, with Chelsea hit badly by injuries. The recent improvement in form has seen a change in his demeanour with Pochettino joking around and smiling throughout.

But when it was mentioned to him that he would be forced to cancel his plans to celebrate his 29th wedding anniversary with his wife, Pochettino insisted it was no laughing matter as he explained his reasons for opposing the scheduling.

“Our fans not happy? Me either,” Pochettino said, speaking at a press conference on Friday. “The 23rd is my anniversary with my wife and I need to travel to Wolves, and then 24th for Argentine people is a really important night and I hope to arrive in time to celebrate an important night.

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In a statement released on Thursday, the Chelsea Supporters’ Trust labelled the change – which will see the first top-flight game played on Christmas Eve since 1995 – as ‘totally unacceptable’. They are now planning to hold a meeting with the Premier League, along with Wolves supporters’ group and the Football Supporters Association (FSA), to air their views.

Pochettino has pledged to begrudgingly accept the decision to move the game for TV broadcast, claiming that English fixtures are different to anywhere else in the football world.

“It is difficult because it is not easy to change. We need to accept we are in England and it is different to the rest of the world,” he added. “Even if I am not happy I need to try to be in our best level and accept a situation we cannot change. But for sure, our fans are not happy and I am not happy.”

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Pochettino married his wife Karina in 1994 and the couple have two children, Sebastiano and Maurizio.

His younger son Maurizio, 22, formerly on the books at Watford, is now playing in Spain for Gimnastic de Tarragona while Sebastiano worked with his father at Tottenham as a sports scientist.

Asked if his wife knew that he would be making the trip to Wolves the day before Christmas and if she would travel with him, the Chelsea boss was pessimistic about his chances of bringing her to the Midlands: “I don’t think I’m going to convince her to come!” he joked.

The Blues take on Brentford on Saturday lunchtime at Stamford Bridge, with Pochettino desperate for his side to continue their resurgance in the league after climbing to 10th.

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