Former Chelsea defender hits back after Pochettino forgot his name: ‘Who?!’

Ex-Chelsea defender Malang Sarr has deed retired astatine Mauricio Pochettino aft the manager seemingly forgot helium existed during their clip unneurotic astatine Stamford Bridge.

Sarr joined Chelsea successful 2020, putting pen to insubstantial connected a five-year deal, but the centre-back struggled to marque an interaction successful westbound London and near successful the summer having aft playing 21 games for the Blues.

Having swapped Chelsea for Lens, Sarr is keen to enactment his disappointing fewer years down him and the 25-year-old has enjoyed a promising commencement connected his instrumentality to the France, with the nine sitting eighth successful Ligue 1.

Perhaps the lowest constituent of Sarr’s clip astatine Chelsea came successful August 2023, erstwhile Pochettino was near visibly bewildered astatine the specified notation of his sanction portion facing the media.

After a convincing 3-0 triumph implicit Luton, Pochettino’s archetypal competitory triumph successful complaint of Chelsea, the Argentine was asked wherefore some Sarr and goalkeeper Jamie Cumming had failed to marque the matchday squad.

‘Who?!’ a blank-faced Pochettino replied, earlier adding: ‘Oh my goodness, I don’t cognize what I tin archer you.

‘I don’t cognize due to the fact that you amazed me! It’s similar you punch and I americium similar this [shocked] due to the fact that we were talking astir Luton!’

A projected indebtedness determination to Le Havre fell done that pursuing wintertime and Sarr did not diagnostic successful a azygous different lucifer for Chelsea.

Pochettino adjacent forced Sarr to bid with the Under-21 squad for overmuch of past play and close friends of the defender were said to beryllium earnestly acrophobic astir his authorities of mind.

However, speaking with L’Equipe, Sarr insisted helium had ‘no regrets’ astir his disappointing acquisition successful England, earlier opening up connected his absorption to Pochettino’s infamous snub.

‘I took it badly. It shouldn’t person happened,’ Sarr told the French newspaper.

‘He knew me. He adjacent tried to motion maine astatine Tottenham. I didn’t inquire for an explanation.’

Sarr added: ‘Was I a unfortunate of the shot business? That’s a large connection but yes, I paid the price.

‘If this exclusion had been linked to my performances, oregon to the information that I wasn’t a bully person, I would person had to enactment connected myself.

‘But I experienced each that successful spite of myself.’

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