03 November 2023 , 14:42
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Mauricio Pochettino has declared Tottenham are genuine title contenders before his return to his former club.
But the Chelsea boss admitted “we cannot guess” the reception he will get back at the Tottenham Stadium on Monday night. Ange Postecoglou’s side are unbeaten and go into the weekend two points clear at the top of the Premier League - and 14 points clear of the Blues.
And asked Spurs are in the running for a first title since 1960-61, the Argentine said: “Yes I think so. I think they are doing a fantastic job. Ange and his coaches are doing a fantastic job. Then of course they have very good players and a very good team. You can feel they are containers. It is early in the season but they are showing the quality to be contenders.”
Pochettino’s Tottenham nearly won the title in 2016 but lost out after an infamous 2-2 draw at Chelsea known as the Battle of the Bridge. He was sacked in November 2019 before going to PSG and taking over in West London after a year’s sabbatical.
He added: “It is really special. Going back after four years at a place where we have amazing memories. It is special - I cannot lie
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"It is true that we never had the chance to say goodbye. It was a difficult situation, a difficult moment. Now is the opportunity to come back and see the many people that are still working there. It is going to be an exciting moment.”
Mauricio Pochettino's Chelsea face Tottenham on Monday (Getty Images)Asked about what it would mean to win at Tottenham, the Chelsea boss said: “You say the clubs I would never manage is Arsenal because I consider them the worst enemy for Tottenham. And Barcelona because of Espanyol.
"Now it is strange to come back. The feeling after four years. It is going to be for me a happy day. But you know, that is life and we need to move on. We are professionals in football and at the same time we are human and we have personal feelings.”
But Pochettino, who was in charge from 2014 to 2019, said he did not know the reception he will get back at the Tottenham Stadium.
“I am not going to say nothing at the moment because until Monday we cannot guess what is going to happen there,” he said. “The most important thing is that people know and we cannot forget all that we lived together.
"There are memories there and I am going to respect the people and how they want to express it. But it is not going to change my emotion, my view, my feelings about a club that I think where we spent emotional time there.”