"We need to accept the situation" - Mauricio Pochettino reacts to Chelsea fans booing Raheem Sterling
Mauricio Pochettino opened up about Chelsea fans booing Raheem Sterling for his performance during their FA Cup quarter-finals game against Leicester City at home on Sunday. The Blues defeated Leicester 4-2 and moved to the semi-finals, but fans weren't pleased with how the 29-year-old star forward played.
Chelsea manager addressed the situation, and said that fans were 'right to boo' Sterling. Mauricio Pochettino also said that this is a situation the club has to 'accept'.
"I think yes [fans were right to boo], we need to accept the situation. Like when I try to explain the situation on the squad. To explain also the fans. We need to accept to agree or not agree. All the fans live on expectation and wanting the best for the club," Mauricio Pochettino said afterwards, via Metro.
After another poor performance, Chelsea fans urged the club to move on from Sterling and sell him to another team.
However, with such a lucrative deal worth a reported £325,000, the only likely option for him will be a move to Saudi Arabia.
Mauricio Pochettino says he supports Raheem Sterling amid a struggling season
Raheem Sterling continues to struggle and this has increased the pressure on him. However, the Chelsea boss shared his support for his player and expects him to play better going forward.
"The feelings weren’t good for him [Sterling] but I am going to support him. He has an unbelievable CV. Playing for big teams, an experienced player...We need to support him, he’s an amazing player. He has more than 10 years experience in the Premier League. We are a team and we need to be there for everyone," Pochettino said.
The Argentine manager had good to words to say about the way Sterling played. The Englishman missed a penalty and some good chances to score against Leicester. However, Pochettino urged fans to continue to show their support and help the team.
"I think the contribution was good. He was a little bit unlucky with some actions where he should have scored...Fans are entitled to show their emotion. For us we try to emphasise with our fans not to criticise. They want the best for our team and players...But we are in a project. We need support and to really believe," Pochettino said, via Metro.
Raheem Sterling has eight goals and 10 assists in 36 games across all competitions for Chelsea this season..