Pochettino says Chelsea’s fines justify stripping their 2016‑17 title

Former Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino argues that Chelsea should lose the 2016‑17 Premier League title, pointing to the club’s £10.75 million fine in March and the six‑point deduction that was later set aside, while recalling his side’s 4‑2 semi‑final loss to the Blues in that season’s FA Cup.

Chelsea’s penalties and historic breaches

Chelsea were fined £10.75 million in March after the Premier League charged the club with historical breaches of competition rules. The sanction also included a six‑point deduction that was later set aside on appeal.

Owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital self‑reported seventy‑four breaches of Football Association rules when they bought the club in 2022. The Blues admitted making £47 million in secret payments to unregistered agents and third parties over transfers between 2011 and 2018.

The Football Association’s investigation, triggered by the owners’ self‑report, led to the Premier League’s disciplinary process. Antonio Conte’s Chelsea side finished the 2016‑17 campaign seven points clear of Pochettino’s Spurs, securing the Premier League title while Tottenham ended as runners‑up.

Pochettino’s claim for the 2016‑17 title

Pochettino, who managed Tottenham from 2014 to 2019, led the club to the 2019 Champions League final but never lifted a trophy, his highest league finish being second place to Chelsea in 2017. He later returned to Chelsea as manager for the 2023‑24 season, adding a personal twist to his criticism.

Pochettino said, “We should win one title, one Premier League. We should have been awarded it. [Chelsea] were punished, they admitted, so that’s it? The title should be for the team that was second.” He argued that Tottenham did not compete under the same rules from the start of the season.

He added, “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.” Pochettino insisted, “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.”

The contrast between Chelsea’s financial penalties and Pochettino’s call for a retroactive title reassignment highlights how past rule breaches continue to shape the narrative of that season, leaving fans and officials to debate whether the record should be rewritten. The debate underscores the lasting impact of governance failures on the sport’s history.