Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino gives hilarious reason on why he walked down tunnel early after subpar first half

Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has revealed that he walked down the tunnel swiftly at half-time in the Carabao Cup second-round match against AFC Wimbledon because he needed to use the restroom.

The Blues put in a mediocre performance in the first half against the League Two side on Wednesday night (30 August). Pochettino's side went 1-0 down within the first 20 minutes of the encounter through James Tilley's penalty.

The west London outfit did manage to equalize in stoppage time of the first half after Noni Madueke scored a penalty of his own.

Shortly before the half-time whistle blew, Pochettino rushed down the tunnel in what seemed to be a furious exit. However, the Argentine manager has now dismissed that he was angry, stating that he needed to use the restroom.

The former Tottenham Hotspur boss said after the match (via the Mirror):

"Needed the toilet. Not disappointed. It's true I needed the toilet and then to see a report of the half and to make some chances like Nico (Jackson). Not because I was disappointed."

Chelsea's 2-1 win over AFC Wimbledon will see them progress to the third round of the Carabao Cup, where they will face Premier League rivals Brighton & Hove Albion.

Meanwhile, the west London outfit have had a rocky start to the 2023/24 Premier League campaign. Pochettino's men find themselves tenth in the league standings, after securing a win, a draw, and a loss in their first three encounters of the season.

"He deserves the credit” - Mauricio Pochettino lavishes praise on Chelsea star

Pochettino has heaped praise on Chelsea forward Raheem Sterling for his performances this season. The Argentine manager believes the England international deserves full credit for the work he has put in recently.

Pochettino also stated his intention to try and create an environment in which players can perform and thrive.

He said (via The Chelsea Chronicle):

“I am going to repeat, he deserves the credit. When he is going to work for the team, it’s only if a player wants. What we are doing is creating a platform for all of the players to find their best, to feel comfortable. For questions we can find solutions for them and situations we cannot fix in the past, we are able to discuss.”

The former Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) boss added:

“I think with a player like him, performing how he is in the last games, to find the responsibility is inside of him and he deserves the credit.”

Sterling has had a great start to the 2023/24 Premier League campaign. The England international has scored twice in the Blues' first three league encounters.

He joined the west London outfit from Manchester City last summer. The winger had a rather timid campaign last season, scoring only six goals in 28 league encounters for Chelsea.