Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino says owners 'welcome' in dressing room - 'They can do whatever they want'

Mauricio Pochettino insists that it is "good" to have the owners of Chelsea present in the dressing room.

It comes after reports emerged on Monday that co-owner Behdad Eghbali had joined Chelsea’s players backstage following their 1-0 defeat by Aston Villa on Sunday.

Todd Boehly, the Blues' other co-owner, attracted some criticism last season when Graham Potter was in charge, after he addressed the players following a 2-1 loss by Brighton at Stamford Bridge, where he reportedly branded the team’s performance as "embarrassing".

But despite the negative publicity such actions can attract, Pochettino stressed that he has no issue with the hierarchy entering the changing room.

“I like when the owners come [in],” the 51-year-old said during a press conference ahead of his side’s EFL Cup clash with Brighton on Wednesday.

“In all my career as a coach at Espanyol, Southampton, Tottenham and Paris Saint-Germain, I think it’s good that the owners come into the dressing room.

“The way in which they approach the players is most important. If they are in a good and correct way then they’re very welcome.”

Pochettino confirmed rumours that several directors and members of the club’s ownership group have been present in the dressing room after matches this season.

“After my press conference on Sunday they came and shared with us like normal. They also did it with Liverpool, Luton and Nottingham Forest," he said.

“They came with [co-sporting directors] Paul [Winstanley] and Laurence [Stewart], Behdad and sometimes with Todd also. They share some comment and we talk about the game always after my media duties.

“I don’t see in a bad way. For me it’s good always if they share with us and then they say hello to the players. If they came for a speech or a different thing then of course maybe that is different.

“But in the way that they come they are very welcome. They own the club so I think they can do whatever they want.

“I think they are in a very good way and we are so glad that they came and shared time with us - even when we won the game or we didn’t win and we’re suffering.”

The Blues have continued their poor record in front of goal this season, having now failed to score in their last three Premier League matches.

Their only win of the new campaign came against Luton at the end of August, with Raheem Sterling scoring twice to help seal a 3-0 victory.

Since Boehly’s consortium officially took over in 2022, the Blues have undergone a rebuild, with the club parting ways with Thomas Tuchel and Potter in that time, and spending heavily to revamp their squad.

But their investment is yet to really bear fruit, with Pochettino’s side currently languishing in 14th place in the Premier League.

Pochettino also fielded questions of whether Boehly or Eghbali had delivered a speech following Sunday’s loss.

He responded, saying: “Not really but I think we’ve been speaking a lot with the players on Monday and Tuesday.

“It’s my duty that if I need to do a speech then it’s my decision - only me or the players or captain.

“It’s not a job of the owner to come to the dressing room and to give a speech after the game, even when you win or lose. But they know very well how they need to behave.”

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