Mauricio Pochettino believes everyone at Chelsea needs to move on from Raheem Sterling being booed by the Blues’ fans prior to the international break.
Sterling was jeered by his own supporters during Chelsea’s 4-2 win over Leicester City in the FA Cup quarter-finals, having seen a first-half penalty saved.
The former Manchester City winger has struggled for consistency since arriving at Stamford Bridge in 2022, only scoring 12 goals in 53 Premier League appearances and losing his place in the England setup.
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Pochettino has also attracted the ire of Chelsea’s fans in recent weeks, with the Argentine admitting he does not “feel the love” from supporters earlier this month.
As the Blues look to end another frustrating campaign on a high, Pochettino has stressed the importance of unity.
Speaking at a press conference to preview Saturday’s Premier League meeting with Burnley, saying: “It’s about being calm now and accepting the situation.
“The most important thing is to deal with this situation with our experience. We cannot create bigger things that are emotional.
Tuesday training. 😁 pic.twitter.com/QfF6mlo58c
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) March 26, 2024
“I really believe our fans love our players, and for sure, they are going to support him and the rest of the team. His team-mates need to be good team-mates, to talk and express their emotions.
“But I think we need to be careful with the way we are talking and giving our opinions because we need to build a relationship with everyone.
“I said after the game that I didn’t agree because the players always want to play well and score goals. I was also suffering the anger of the fans because of the disappointment.
“The whole team were suffering but the most important thing is Raheem is an experienced player. Of course, he understands.
“We need to move on, to protect the player. That is our responsibility, and the players need to convince the fans we are in a good way.”
March international break ✔️
Burnley 🔜 pic.twitter.com/SBSCTmQUNb
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) March 28, 2024
Meanwhile, Chelsea could be without Ben Chilwell when they face the Clarets, with the left-back having taken a knock to his knee while on international duty with England.
“We still need to assess a few players like Chilwell after playing two international games,” Pochettino said. “I think he got a knock to his knee.
“Today, he wasn’t ready to train. We will see what will happen tomorrow, if he can be in the squad.”
