Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has thrown his support behind calls by the Chelsea Supporters' Trust to change the scheduling of the Blues' upcoming Christmas Eve trip to Wolves, marking the first English top-flight fixture on December 24 since 1995.
The decision to schedule the match has been met with strong opposition from fans, with the supporters' group deeming it "totally unacceptable."
Pochettino, too, has personal reasons to object to the fixture date, as Christmas Eve holds special significance for Argentines, who celebrate Christmas on the night of the 24th. Additionally, it is the day before his wedding anniversary.
"Our fans are not happy? Me neither. The 23rd is my anniversary with my wife, and now I need to travel to Wolves," Pochettino expressed on Friday. He humorously added, "I believe I am not going to convince her to come. The 24th for Argentine people is a really important night, and I hope to arrive home in time to celebrate afterward. But if our fans are not happy, I am not happy either."
While recognising that changing the decision may not be easy, Pochettino acknowledged the need to adapt to English traditions and scheduling. He emphasised his commitment to giving his best despite his personal reservations.
Chelsea, under Pochettino's management, has recently shown signs of improvement with a four-game unbeaten run. The return of £52 million forward Christopher Nkunku next month is expected to further boost the team. Nkunku has been sidelined with a knee injury since the pre-season and has yet to make a competitive appearance for the club.
Pochettino spoke optimistically about Nkunku's progress, saying, "He's doing really well, working hard; I think he's really close." He hinted at the possibility of Nkunku's involvement after the upcoming international break.
The Chelsea manager stressed the importance of Nkunku's goal-scoring ability, especially given the team's early-season struggles in front of the net. He suggested that Nkunku's contributions could have a substantial impact on the team's league standings, noting, "If today we had eight or 10 goals from Nkunku, maybe the situation (in the league) would be completely different."
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