The Argentine headed down the tunnel without addressing fans (Picture: Getty)
Mauricio Pochettino remains in the dark over his future at Chelsea and has explained why he left the pitch early before the club’s end-of-season lap of appreciation.
The Argentine coach has endured a difficult campaign at Stamford Bridge but a run of five straight wins – culminating with a 2-1 victory over Bournemouth – secured sixth place in the Premier League and a spot in Europe next season.
Moises Caicedo opened the scoring in Sunday’s game with a stunning, goal-of-the-season contender from the halfway line.
Both sides netted within minutes at the start of the second half and Chelsea were forced to withstand a lot of pressure in the closing stages, but clung on to secure all three points.
The west Londoners will now have to wait until the FA Cup final on Saturday to see which European competition they will be playing in, with a victory for Manchester United seeing them drop down to the Europa Conference League.
Whether Pochettino will be in charge next season is another matter, with the former Tottenham boss having been under immense pressure all season.
He only added to the intrigue surrounding his future on Sunday when he left the pitch before the customary lap of appreciation, with Pochettino and his whole coaching staff heading down the tunnel before he had a chance to address supporters.
But Pochettino has played down the significance of his early exit and says he simply needed to attend to media duties, though he offered little assurance over his future at the club.
The Argentine spent some time with the players before heading off (AFP)
Speaking at his post-match press conference while the squad were still out on the pitch, Pochettino said of his early exit: ‘Because there was no time, because Thiago Silva [had a goodbye presentation].
‘And then when the players started [to do the lap], [press officer] Adrian [Phillips] said I needed to go inside. Maybe now I’ll go and give a tour [of the pitch].’
Asked about a rumoured meeting this coming week with the club’s hierarchy to discuss his future, Pochettino said: ‘I don’t know if that is going to happen or not.
‘I have no idea about that. I can only tell you that on Friday night Todd [Boehly] invited me for a dinner and I think it was a very nice dinner together. But I don’t know about the rumours, about the review or this.
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‘Tomorrow my staff are going to fly, unless they decide tonight to stay, they are going to go for holidays. And I’m going to stay a few days more in London. My door is always open and my phone is going to be on.’
Probed on the dinner with Boehly, he replied: ‘I’m not going to explain. It’s only for you to know that I was with him. I’m not going to talk about it.
‘Look, if I invite you alone, you and me, and we have a dinner, it’s not for a bad thing, no? I don’t believe that. If I need to tell something [bad] I call by phone or say to go for a coffee, but not for a dinner.’
Asked how much input he will have on summer transfers, he replied: ‘That is the club, a club decision. And of course always, like I was from the beginning, we are going to be there to help if they want. And if not, we are going to do our job.’
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