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Every word Mauricio Pochettino said on Chelsea future, Todd Boehly meeting, missed lap of honour

Mauricio Pochettino
Mauricio Pochettino's Chelsea side wrapped up the season with a 2-1 win over Bournemouth -Credit:Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC


Mauricio Pochettino spoke to the media for the final time in the 2023/24 season after seeing his Chelsea side hold on to all three points at home to Bournemouth.

Goals from Moises Caicedo and Raheem Sterling were enough for the Blues despite an own goal from Benoit Badiashile getting the Cherries back into the game at Stamford Bridge. After the game, Pochettino spoke about Chelsea's season as a whole, his future, a meeting with Todd Boehly, and more. Here is the full transcript...

How happy are you for reaching Europe?

"I am happy for my staff. I am happy for my players. I am really happy. In the way with all of this process over 10 months, with difficult circumstances, the way they buy our ideas and try to increase the levels, they deserve some credit. Also for the staff. The staff was fighting every single day to try to convince them to provide the best tools for them to perform. The second part, of the last 27, 28 games, the way we performed, we need to feel proud about that."

End-of-season meeting with the owners - when will that happen?

"I don't know if that is going to happen or not. I don't have any idea about this. All I can tell you is on Friday night, Todd invited me for a dinner and it was a very nice dinner together. But I don't know about the rumours about the review. My staff tomorrow are flying for their holidays. I am going to stay in London for a few more days. I am always open. My phone is going to be on."

Tell us more about that Boehly dinner...

"I am not going to explain. It is only for you to know that I was with him. I'm not going to talk about this. If I invite you along, and you and me have dinner, it's not for bad things. I don't believe that."

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Who were you waving towards in the West Stand?

"My wife."

Why did you not address the fans at all?

"There was no time. We were with Thiago Silva and then when the players started, Adrian said you need to go inside. Maybe now I will go and give a tour."

Overwhelming feeling now that season is over?

"I'm so pleased and so proud about the players. You could see at the end of the game, players who played more and less and were injured, the way they came to hug me. It was very, very, very nice. We talk about the relationship we have – sometimes we are tough with them and sometimes we need to make our choices – but we feel so proud in the way they were working. Even when tough moments happened during the season, they always showed their respect to us and their belief in the way we presented our job."

Not a finished job, though, is it?

"Always, you can improve. They are going to be much better next season because they will have one year of experience, a tough experience. That is the advantage of being solid and consistent and not making too many changes. Next season if we keep 80-85% of the squad, for sure, it is a big step forward because it is about having continuity in the ideas and the knowledge between them. That is important for the club."

Players coming in?

"That is a club decision. Like it was from the beginning, we are going to be there to help and if not, we are going to do our job."