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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Nizaar Kinsella

Mauricio Pochettino reveals Chelsea plans for ‘very useful' for winter break

Mauricio Pochettino is heading to Barcelona for a break, but the Chelsea head coach has revealed he will leave his phone on if he is needed to discuss transfers.

Pochettino will give his players and staff three days off as the Blues enjoy a 10-day break until the second leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final against Middlesbrough.

Chelsea lost 1-0 in the first leg on Tuesday but bounced back to beat Fulham by the same score in the Premier League on Saturday.

Asked whether he hopes to get a call on his holiday about new signings, Pochettino joked: "To be honest, I would prefer it if the phone did not ring. If it does not ring, it is much better for me.”

Pochettino feels his Chelsea team deserve a break.

He said: "We need to give some rest to the players and the staff also because it is a really busy period now and they need to breathe a little bit. This break is very useful.

"Then we are going to prepare. We have seven days to prepare for the second leg against Middlesbrough on Tuesday and then on Friday in the FA Cup against Aston Villa, and then Wednesday again in the Premier League.

"Three games in three different competitions - but I think they need three days off. They need to revive, so it is important and then they can attack the second half of the season.

"Too many of our players are going to be involved in March with the international break and too many competitions that they now need to have some break."

Pochettino rarely speaks about former club Tottenham due to the rivalry between them and Chelsea.

But he broke that rule to wish Eric Dier well after his move to Bayern Munich.

"He was in my past,” said Pochettino. “I managed him, and I wish him the best."

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