Mauricio Pochettino has quashed Xavi’sn claim that Man City want to buy Dele AlliReuters
But Spurs boss Pochettino said: “Xavi is in a period when he loves to talk, he’s in Doha and, listen, he was a Barcelona player. He’s my enemy. He tried to destroy our focus to win because he hates me because he’s Barcelona and I am Espanyol.”
Poch played for, coached and managed Barca’s neighbours Espanyol.
And he added: “I know Xavi well. I came up against him many times when I was in Spain.
“Funnily enough, I spoke with Thierry Henry yesterday and we both remembered the game between Espanyol and Barca when Xavi cheated the referee.
Xavi said that Pep Guardiola was interested in buying Dele AlliEPADele Alli was once again crowned the PFA Young Player of the YearRex Features
“The marking man was Raul Baena, Xavi fell down in the box, said ‘penalty’ and they gave a penalty.
“It wasn’t a penalty but Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored for Barcelona and they won the game. After in the replay it was very funny because it was clear no one touched him. Come on! It goes from lie to lie to lie.
“I don’t know what Xavi said about Dele, maybe he’s working for Manchester City and wants to help Guardiola.”
Poch, who was a coach at Espanyol when the Xavi penalty incident occurred in December 2009, is clearly a man who never forgets.
Xavi said his former boss Pep Guardiola wanted Dele AlliTimes Newspapers Ltd
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But ahead of Tottenham’s Prem clash at Crystal Palace tonight, Poch insisted Dele will not have to be sold this summer.
Poch said: “My relationship with the chairman is so close, so far. We have the plan to improve. The players we want to keep, we will keep. Because he said to me ‘we don’t need money’.
“If we sell some players it is because we want to sell. We will sell because of the players we want to sign.”
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