Pochettino 'so pleased with level Chelsea reached'

Former Chelsea head Mauricio Pochettino says he is "so pleased pinch nan level nan squad reached" pursuing his departure from nan nine aft 1 season.

The 52-year-old took complaint of nan Blues connected 1 July but a mediocre tally of results successful nan first half of nan run contributed to him leaving by communal consent past month.

Pochettino has been replaced astatine Chelsea by Leicester City leader Enzo Maresca, who has signed a five-year statement pinch nan action of an other year.

Writing connected Instagram,, external Pochettino said: "We cognize location person been ups and downs but we ever believed successful this squad and that we would get astatine a accordant level."

Following a disappointing commencement to nan season, Chelsea were runners-up successful nan Carabao Cup, reached nan semi-finals of nan FA Cup and vanished sixth successful nan Premier League aft winning their last 5 games of nan season.

Pochettino said he and his unit understood really important nan nine was to fans and that is why they had worked "so hard" to springiness them "a Chelsea you tin beryllium proud of".

The Argentine besides said effort had been put successful to "increase [the team's] standards", adding: "They merit awesome in installments and I dream you felt that excessively successful really they performed connected nan pitch."

He continued: "I judge nan experiences of this play and large betterment we saw, I dream will only make nan players stronger for nan future."

Pochettino said he will return to Stamford Bridge connected Sunday for nan yearly Soccer Aid personage kindness match, wherever he will negociate a World XI against England.