Pochettino Escapes Touchline Ban For UEFA Champions League Final

Mauricio Pochettino will not be banned from the touchline for Tottenham’s Champions League final against Liverpool.

UEFA investigated Pochettino for his role in delaying the kick-off of Spurs’ semi-final first leg clash with Ajax on April 30.

However, the European football governing body just slapped a €10,000 on Spurs and given Pochettino a suspended one-match ban – which will last a year.

Therefore, the Argentine coach is free to be on the touchline at Atletico Madrid’s Wanda Metropolitano for the Champions League final against Liverpool on June 1.

A UEFA statement read: “The Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body has decided to fine Tottenham Hotspur FC €10,000 for the late kick-off, to suspend the Tottenham Hotspur FC coach Mauricio Pochettino for one UEFA competition match in which he would otherwise participate, for the late kick-off.

A Lucas Moura hat-trick in the second leg of their semi-final tie was what made the difference after Spurs bounced back from three goals down on aggregate to progress in Amsterdam on away goals after finishing 3-3.

It’s the first time in the London club’s history they’ve reached the Champions League final.

Despite being let off with Pochettino, however, Spurs will still have to pay another €5,000 for a fan invasion during their quarter-final first-leg win against Manchester City at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

UEFA also announced that Ajax manager Erik ten Hag has escaped with nothing more than a warning for the same offence as Pochettino.

But the Dutchman’s FC Porto counterpart Sergio Conceicao wasn’t so lucky as he will be banned for one game in his role in delaying the return leg of his side’s quarter-final defeat to Liverpool on April 17.

Ajax, Barcelona, Benfica, Eintracht Frankfurt and Porto must all pay fines for their various breaches in both the Champions League and Europa League.