Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino is “not happy” with the Premier League deciding to schedule the Blues’ trip to Wolves on Christmas Eve and sympathises with the club’s fans.
The decision was made this week that the Premier League fixture between Wolves and Chelsea would be played at 1.30pm on Christmas Eve – a decision described as “unacceptable” by the Chelsea Supporters’ Trust (CST).
It will be the first top-flight match to be played on Christmas Eve since 1995 and it means that Pochettino will be unable to celebrate his 31st wedding anniversary with his wife, which the Blues manager is not happy about.
Pochettino made his feelings clear at his press conference on Friday but admits defeat in hoping the schedule will be changed.
“Our fans are not happy?” Pochettino said via the Guardian. “Me neither. I’m not happy also because the 23rd is my anniversary and I need to travel to Wolves, and I am not going to spend the night of 23 in my house. Then the 24th for Argentine people is a really important night and I hope to arrive in time to celebrate.”
The CST has urged the league to rearrange the game but Pochettino doubts Chelsea will have much success if they push for a new date. “It is difficult because I think it is not easy to change,” he said. “We need to accept, we are in England and it is different to the rest of the world, but I need to adapt myself and even if I am not happy I need to do my best.”