Article by Alexandru Stanciu – published on Thursday, September 04, 2025, 21:57 / Updated Thursday, September 4, 2025 22:12
Mauricio Pochettino (53 years old), the selected one of the United States of America, said he would never train Barcelona and vehemently criticized the Blaugrana club.
The Argentine technician represented, both as a player and as a coach, the colors of the local rival of Barcelona, Espanyol.
Mauricio Pochettino: “I better go back to work on the farm than to train Barcelona”
In an interview with Mundo Deportivo, Mauricio Pochettino criticized Barcelona, revealing that he would never accept to train there.
Pep Guardiola (left) and Mauricio Pochettino (right) / Photo: Imago Images
“I think Espanyol is a much more independent and much more “Catalan” club than Barcelona. I always try to explain that and no one should feel offended. Barcelona is said to be “more than a club”.
What does that mean? That we have to raise children with certain ideas? I think Barcelona is wrong from this point of view. Each team has its own culture, and Barcelona is a big club. But I do not share what they want to impose or sell to people. “
Asked by a Spanish journalist if the past declaration “I better return to work on my farm in Argentina than to train Barcelona” is still valid, Pochettino replied: “My identification with Espanyol is total.
I am always told: “Let's see, if one day Barça offers you the position of coach, what will you say then?” I can say clearly that I will not train Barcelona!”.
Mauricio Pochettino has evolved in the position of central defender and started his career in his native country at Newel's Old Boys. The first adventure in Europe had it in Espanyol, a club for which it has evolved from 1994 to 2001, ticking over 200 appearances. The period also culminated with the 20 selections he had at the Argentine national.
In 2001, Pochettino left Espanyol and transferred to PSG, where he evolved for two seasons. Subsequently, he remained in France, in Bordeaux, and after only 11 matches, Pochettino was returning to Espanyol, first in the form of a loan, in 2004, after which definitively. The Argentinian withdrew from the activity in 2006, also from Espanyol.
As a coach, Pochettino started his career at Espanyol, which he prepared from 2009 to 2012. Subsequently, the adventures of the Premier League, at Southampton and Tottenham followed, after which he took another former team, PSG.
Pochettino returned to the Premier League, in 2023, at the rival of Tottenham, Chelsea, which he prepared for a season. Since 2024, the Argentine technician is the coach of the national state of America.
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