Football
Dan Kilpatrick, Tottenham Correspondent 7y

Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino brushes off Barca talk

LONDON -- Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino has said his history with Espanyol meant he could not be Barcelona boss.

Pochettino met Camp Nou president Josep Maria Bartmomeu in Barcelona last week, leading to speculation that he is a candidate to replace Luis Enrique despite saying he is happy at White Hart Lane.

He spent a decade with local rivals Espanyol and told a news conference on Thursday: "It was true [that he and Bartomeu had met]. It was a coincidence in a bar in Barcelona.

"I've known him for a long time, since before he became the chairman of Barcelona. Many people saw us but we spent five minutes together. That was the reality.

"The rumours afterwards are impossible to stop, but I am an Espanyol supporter.

"If Daniel Levy sacked me in a few years, it would be impossible for me to manage Arsenal.

"In football I know it is difficult to keep value and be loyal with heart and emotion. But for me, as a manager and as a player, to be loyal is important.

"I am an Espanyol fan, I love Espanyol. For me, it is the same as Tottenham. It would be impossible for me to move to Arsenal."

Last week, Tottenham said they were aware of Pochettino's meeting with Bartomeu.

The manager also said he was confident that Spurs would play at Wembley next season, even though the club have asked for more time to make on decision after pushing back the original deadline of Mar. 31.

"I am calm," he added. "I believe and I trust all will be sorted in the next few weeks or months, and we will move next season to Wembley to allow the new stadium to be finished."

Meanwhile, Pochettino revealed that Harry Kane has begun training outdoors in his recovery from ankle ligament damage but said Danny Rose, who had been scheduled to return to training next month, would see a specialist after a setback in his rehabilitation from a knee problem.

He said the England striker "is doing well" and had started to work on the pitch.

"We're positive, he's positive and we'll see when he is available again," he added. "Of course, he will be available before the end of the season.

"Maybe it is at the same time [that Kane and Rose return]. We need to wait for the opinion of the specialist. I hope that, before the end of the season, both are available."

Erik Lamela will have surgery on his persistent hip injury in Barcelona on Saturday and Pochettino said he had "suffered a lot" since he last played in October.

"It's important to give him all the support. Now it's not about the player -- it's about the person," he said.

"He suffered a lot in the last four months and now it's important for him to believe he can fix the problem.

"He wants to be on the pitch as soon as possible -- we want that too."

Pochettino said Spurs had "tried to avoid the operation" but it had become "the way to fix the problem and a solution for him to be on the pitch again."

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