Chelsea host Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday and this game could very well decide which of the two teams get to play in the Champions League next season. The Blues are currently sitting 5th on the league table – five points behind Pochettino’s Spurs.

A win against their London rivals would mean that Chelsea can bring down that gap to just 2 points and this would give them a more fighting chance of qualifying for the Champions League.

And before the Chelsea vs Spurs game, Antonio Conte has shared his views about Mauricio Pochettino.

But instead of firing shots at the Argentine, the Chelsea boss has defended Mauricio Pochettino’s failure to deliver silverware at Tottenham.

Conte said: “I consider Mauricio Pochettino a really good manager,

“I think that, if Tottenham grew a lot in this period, he has a lot of credit for that.

“We are talking about a team who, in the last period for many years now, they are competing to win the title.

“Two years ago, they were very close to winning the title when Leicester won it. Last season they tried to compete with us.

“Don’t forget that only one team can win the title.

“You start every competition with six teams, six top teams who are ready to win something during the season.

“For example, last season, Chelsea won the title, Manchester United won the Carabao Cup, and Arsenal won the FA Cup.

“This season, probably Manchester City will win the title, but they dropped in the FA Cup.

“It’s not simple.”

Pochettino has been at Spurs for four seasons now and the Lilywhites have failed to win a silverware during this time. The Spurs manager has now been tipped to join Real Madrid during the summer in a bid to try and win a silverware.

“I must be honest, if you want to win trophies, maybe for important managers, it’s easier to go to another country,” Conte added.

“In England, if you stay here, never, never will it be easy to win trophies.

“But, for sure, every manager wants to try and win a trophy.”

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Read: Florentino Perez planning to make a move for £52m Chelsea defender on recommendation from Sergio Ramos.