Pochettino given two-match ban after ref outburst

LONDON: Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino was on Wednesday handed a two-match touchline ban and fined £10,000 ($13,000) by the Football Association following an angry clash with a referee. The Argentine, whose side reached the Champions League quarterfinals with a 1-0 win at Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday, was sanctioned over the incident involving referee Mike Dean after last month’s 2-1 Premier League loss at Burnley. It means he will have to sit in the stands when Spurs visit his former club Southampton on Saturday and also for the league game against Liverpool on March 31.

“Mauricio Pochettino has been fined £10,000 and will serve a two-match touchline ban following an Independent Regulatory Commission hearing,” said a statement from the FA. “The Tottenham manager accepted an improper conduct charge from the FA, which resulted from his language and/or behaviour — both on the pitch and in or around the tunnel area — at the end of the game against Burnley on February 23.” Pochettino, whose side have slipped out of the title picture after dropping eight points in their past three matches, apologised to Dean after the incident, saying he would accept the charge. — AFP