Chelsea fans turn on Pochettino, chant for Mourinho after latest setback

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Could it be the beginning of the end for Mauricio Pochettino?

Chelsea fans turned on head coach Pochettino and appeared to call for Jose Mourinho's return during Saturday's 2-2 draw away to Brentford.

The traveling supporters also directed an expletive-laden chant toward Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly, who's spent £1 billion since taking over the club in May 2022.

"Boehly, you're a c---," the fans yelled, according to the Evening Standard's Nizaar Kinsella. "F--- off, Mauricio."

"Jose Mourinho," the chants continued.

Chelsea narrowly escaped an 11th league defeat of the season thanks to Axel Disasi's 83rd-minute equalizer. Nicolas Jackson had given the Blues the lead in the 35th minute, but Brentford, aided in part by Yoane Wissa's spectacular overhead kick, stormed back to take a 2-1 advantage.

Pochettino, who turned 52 on Saturday, said he doesn't feel the fans' support but can understand why.

"I'm not worried," he told reporters, including The Athletic's Liam Twomey. "We need to accept this relationship. Someone asked me, 'Do you feel the love from the fans?' No. What can we expect? We need to build the relationship, and between the coaching staff and the fans, you build the relationship through winning games.

"At the moment, we cannot match the expectation, and if we cannot match the expectation, are we going to ask for love?"

Pochettino's side is currently in 11th place in the Premier League and set to miss the Champions League for a second consecutive season.

Mourinho is available after leaving Roma in January. He has already coached Chelsea twice, winning Premier League titles there in 2004, 2005, and 2015.