Pochettino set to face Blackburn Rovers sans key Chelsea backroom staff member

Mauricio Pochettino will be without Jesus Perez for Chelsea vs Blackburn Rovers

Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino’s assistant Jesus Perez has been banned for the Carabao Cup clash against Blackburn Rovers after he was shown the red card in last night’s 2-0 loss to Brentford according to Football.london.

Jesus Perez, Pochettino’s long-time right-hand man, was dismissed from the dugout during the frustrating 2-0 defeat on Saturday. It was a frustrating moment in what was a disappointing outing for the Blues following their recent upsurge in form.

Mauricio Pochettino will be without Jesus Perez for Chelsea vs Blackburn Rovers.
Mauricio Pochettino with his long-time assistant Jesus Perez.

The Spaniard has been by Pochettino’s side throughout his managerial career and is a hugely influential figure behind the scenes. But Perez will now serve a one-match ban against Blackburn after his angry reaction over a disputed decision versus Brentford. With Chelsea trailing 1-0, Perez was incensed when a Blues player was prevented from retrieving the ball for a quick restart.

After a confrontation with Brentford’s coaching staff and exchanging words with the fourth official, Perez was shown a straight red card and ordered from the dugout. His absence from the Blackburn clash is a blow to Pochettino, who relies heavily on his trusted assistant’s support. While it does not make his job impossible, the lack of another voice while debating decisions could see the Argentine miss out on certain lines of thought.

On the touchline and in preparing the squad, Perez’s experience and advice are invaluable to the Chelsea manager. Hopefully, it is not something that will come to bite us.

Mauricio Pochettino will be without Jesus Perez for Chelsea vs Blackburn Rovers.
Mauricio Pochettino defended his trusted assistant saying that he had just wanted to speed up play.

Pochettino confirmed Perez had simply been trying to speed up play when the flashpoint occurred at Brentford. But the regulations meant he was powerless to overturn the red card handed to his right-hand man. Unlike players, Perez will only serve a one-game ban for his indiscretion before returning against Tottenham.

Nonetheless, being without his closest ally in the dugout could disrupt Pochettino’s rhythm and match preparation. After a poor run of form, the timing of Perez’s absence adds an unwanted complication ahead of a vital week. Pochettino will lean on his other assistants with Perez ruled out this week.

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But the red card incident encapsulated Chelsea’s growing frustration as their struggles continue under the Argentine. Sooner he can shift the tide, the better .