Mauricio Pochettino and Mikel Arteta will meet for the first time as head coaches on Saturday, but the Chelsea and Arsenal bosses know each other inside out. “He is part of my family,” says the Argentinian.
Rewind to 2001 and Arteta, still just a teenager, had joined Paris Saint-Germain on loan from Barcelona’s B team. It was his first experience in the first team of a top team and he struggled to come to terms with the transition.
Fortunately, PSG had a new acquisition. Pochettino – ten years older than Arteta – took the Spaniard under his wing.
“It was my first professional opportunity in Paris and we arrived at the same time and lived together in a hotel for three months,” Arteta said on Friday.
“He was critical, he was one of the most influential people in my career. Firstly, as a player, he took me under his arm and took care of me like a little child, a little brother.
“He was a big part of the success I had in Paris. That was because of him, because he really looked after me, gave me a lot of confidence and a lot of advice.”
Pochettino has equally fond memories of that period and says the signs were already there that Arteta would become a successful coach in the future.
“Great memories. We share values and passion for football,” Pochettino said.
“He has been part of my family from day one. We arrived in Paris together and spent time together with our families, first in the hotel and then living very close.
“It was a great history. He didn’t surprise me with what he does, because he was already a coach at the age of 17!
“He was very good in how he saw football. He can be one of the greatest managers in the world.”
Pochettino picked up on Arteta’s strengths and explained why he thinks the Gunners boss is destined for the top.
“What Arsenal are showing is because he is one of the best,” Pochettino said. “I don’t care if he’s young or not, he’s one of the best coaches in the world.
“It’s not just about being tactically good; it’s about how you manage people, the media, the owners, the sporting director. It’s not just about being smart.”
Arteta – who labeled Pochettino’s early work at Chelsea as ‘phenomenal’ – revealed at his press conference ahead of his side’s visit to Stamford Bridge that Pochettino’s influence from those early days continued into his playing and coaching career.
“I went from playing Ligue 1 to Champions League in Milan a week later, I was everywhere,” Arteta said. “I didn’t speak the language, it was my first professional club and I needed someone to be close to me, to give me confidence, to give me support, because I was thrown in and they said: play, you are in the starting XI’.
“So he was coaching me, talking to me. Really inspiring. He was really supportive. I lived with him for two to three months, so that period was crucial in my career to be able to make it.
“He’s an expert at giving you confidence and keeping you on your toes all the time, and being really hard on me every time I did something: ‘Where were you last night?!’ He really took care of me.
“The way he understood the game was phenomenal. I always had his back and he coached me all the time. I am very proud of what he has done and the way he has done it throughout his coaching career.”
“I am so grateful for what he did for me and the way he guided me in those early years. He got something different out of me that was needed to make it during that period and has stayed with me throughout my football career as a player .” and coach.”
Pochettino is relishing the prospect of taking on Arteta on Saturday, although he admits there are no favors for an old friend when the first whistle blows.
“It will be a lot of fun because my love for him is there,” said the Chelsea boss.
“He is more than a friend: he is family. It will be strange. But we are very competitive and you want to win. You want to destroy the opponent!”
Arteta shared a similar sentiment.
“It’s great that after all these years we are in this situation where you are facing each other and we are both managing great clubs in the best league in the world. It doesn’t get any better than that.”
“On race day? Go for him! He’s going to do the same. We’re both winners.”
Friends reunited
It won’t just be Pochettino and Arteta who will see familiar faces on Saturday. The derby will mark the first time Kai Havertz and Jorginho have returned to Stamford Bridge since leaving Chelsea for Arsenal.
“I’m sure they’ll be excited,” Arteta said. “They were there and talked very positively about the club. I’m sure it will be a special day for them.”
Havertz will receive special attention after his early problems at Arsenal. With just one goal in 12 games for the club, there are questions surrounding his form and role.
Team news: Broja out for Chelsea; Arsenal will check in late on Saka, Saliba and Trossard
Armando Broja will miss Chelsea’s match against Arsenal due to “irritation” in his knee. There will be late checks on the fitness of Reece James, Axel Disasi and Nicolas Jackson, while Benoit Badiashile could return from long-term injury.
Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo should be available despite traveling to South America during the international break.
Ben Chilwell, Carney Chukwuemeka, Christopher Nkunku, Romeo Lavia, Wesley Fofana and Trevoh Chalobah remain unavailable.
Arsenal will make late calls on the fitness of Bukayo Saka, William Saliba and Leandro Trossard.
Saka missed the win over Man City before the international break after limping out of both the Champions League defeat at Lens and the earlier win over Bournemouth. He was also unavailable for service in England.
Meanwhile, Saliba was forced to withdraw from the France squad due to a ‘chronic toe injury’ despite starring in the win over City. Trossard came off at half-time in that match and missed Belgium’s matches with a hamstring problem.