DIVERS? NO, WE ARE NICE PEOPLE, SAYS POCH
MAURICIO POCHETTINO insisted Tottenham are ‘innocent people’ after Son Heung-min became the fourth Spurs player to be booked for diving this season during the 3-1 victory over Leicester. Son went down amid slight contact from Harry Maguire during the first half and was shown a yellow card by referee Michael Oliver. In doing so, he joined Harry Kane, Lucas Moura and Danny Rose in being cautioned for diving this season. Pochettino felt Son had a more convincing case than the penalty that Leicester were awarded when James Maddison went down after a challenge by Jan Vertonghen. Pochettino, who apologised for kicking a ball into the stands while celebrating Tottenham’s third, then highlighted a past dispute with Oliver, who turned down Son’s late penalty appeal during Liverpool’s 2-1 win at Tottenham in September. ‘Do you think Sonny deserved to be booked?’ Pochettino asked. ‘Unbelievable. When you compare with the penalty against us, unbelievable. The problem is I told Michael Oliver the situation of Liverpool in the last minute that should be a penalty. It was the same referee but I don’t know how he has measured the situation. It is so difficult. I always accept the mistake but I think it was so strange the situation today. ‘It was so clear the position today with Sonny, the action, but it wasn’t clear the position of Maddison when he was on the floor. ‘I am more relaxed because we won the game but so disappointed with the situation because everyone wants to talk about different clubs or players but do you think we are a team that is trying to cheat the referee? Come on, we are the most innocent people on the pitch? We are such nice people.’ Pochettino also criticised the game’s scheduling, accusing broadcasters and the Premier League of failing to help English clubs in the Champions League. Borussia Dortmund played on Saturday ahead of the first leg of the last-16 tie on Wednesday. ‘I feel so embarrassed because I can accept to play today if Dortmund play today and then we play Wednesday. I cannot understand why we’re playing with a massive disadvantage. Twenty-four hours in this type of competition is massive. ‘It doesn’t mean that we’re not going to compete. I don’t want it to be an excuse. Today is the last time I complain and I hope you describe and send the right message, not “Pochettino is crying”. It doesn’t mean we will play in a different way. ‘We believe we can win. My players are heroes. What happens at the end of the season, they are going to be remembered. If we win some title, in the history, but if not, in the history too, because against all the circumstances, how we fight and show character is amazing.’