Thiago Silva has been on the headlines this week, but not for the best reasons. His wife, Isabelle, made a cryptic post after Chelsea’s 4-2 loss to Wolverhampton on Sunday in which she appeared to call for a change at Chelsea. “It’s time to change. If you wait any longer it will be too late,” she wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Many believed she was calling for Mauricio Pochettino’s firing, while others wondered if she was referring to her husband’s future at the club. Either way, Poch said Silva came talk to him on Tuesday. Though the coach didn’t reveal the topic of their conversation, it seemed to be a clear-the-air meeting. On Wednesday, the Brazilian started on the bench in the Blues’ 3-1 FA Cup match win over Aston Villa. According to Pochettino, his decision was purely based on performance.
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Pochettino denies Belle Silva situation influenced decision to bench Thiago
“I am a professional. I am a professional coach. I always choose my players according to performance,” Pochettino told ITV. “Why the question? I understand the question. I always try to stay calm, I am professional, always professional, always make my decisions based on the professional side.”
When asked if there was another reason, the Argentine manager said: “My answer was clear, wasn’t it?”
This has been only the fifth time Silva started on the bench this season. The veteran center-back had played the full 90 minutes in each of the team’s last six matches, taking part in 28 of the 32 matches the Blues have played so far this season.
