Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has revealed the Blues’ sporting directors got involved in a meeting about the recent dispute over penalty duties.
Cole Palmer converted from the spot in the 6-0 win over Everton but had to fight off both Noni Madueke and Nicolas Jackson, the latter of whom was particularly animated with his desire to take the penalty.
Having seen this sort of incident on a number of occasions already this season, Pochettino publicly named Palmer as his preferred penalty taker after the game and warned there would be consequences for any player who caused a scene on the pitch in future.
Pochettino left his post-match press conference with a furious rant about the media’s focus on the incident, and his appearance in front of the press on Friday began with yet another question about the penalty, although Pochettino responded with a smile on his face this time.
“We were talking a lot after Monday, Monday was off, and then Wednesday, Thursday and Friday we were practicing penalties and we were also talking,” the boss began.
“We made it clear after the game. We had a meeting with all the players and staff, and the sporting directors were also involved there, Paul [Winstanley] and Laurence [Stewart], and I explained my feelings and the way that we are going to act in future if something like this happens again in the future.
“The message was very clear, it was the message I tried to tell the media in all my press conferences. Now we need to move on. It’s about being clever. They are clever and understood the situation. In one point, it was an image that you don’t like, but in another point, it’s good if a player wants to take responsibility and take the penalties. It shows the personality and the character of the team and the players.
“But they need to respect the rules. Discipline is so important and the way they did things was a very wrong way. That’s why it’s so important for them to learn and for us to apply the common sense and discipline to act in a different way in the future. Now we need to move on, because all is clear.”
The semi-final at Wembley could end up going to a penalty shoot-out if the scores are tied, and Pochettino admitted Chelsea are ready for spot kicks.
“We are ready,” he stressed. “We have practiced, we have a clear idea but in the end, it’s difficult to guess what is going to happen, but I think we are ready.”
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