Pochettino to attend Atletico vs Tottenham as invited guest amid talk of return

Mauricio Pochettino, the 54-year-old head coach of the USMNT, is expected to attend Tuesday night’s Champions League first-leg tie between Atletico Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur at the Metropolitano. He will be an official guest of Atletico, and it will be the first time he has watched his former club in person since leaving London.

The venue carries painful memories: Pochettino led Spurs to the Champions League final there in June 2019 and lost 2-0 to Liverpool. Five months later he was relieved of his duties, ending a five-and-a-half-year spell, and while he has since faced Tottenham twice as Chelsea manager this will be his first time observing them from the stands during a competitive match.

The visit also has a professional edge. Pochettino is expected to keep a watching brief on midfielder Johnny Cardoso, who is pushing for a regular role with the national team; Cardoso has started 12 matches this season and featured in five of Atletico’s 10 Champions League outings.

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