Soccer-Spurs boss Pochettino angered by 'unfair' fixture schedule

LONDON, Jan 30 (Reuters) - Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino has bemoaned his side's fixture pile-up ahead of the League Cup final against Chelsea next month. Spurs, who beat third tier Sheffield United to reach the final on March 1, have six games to cope with, including a two-legged Europa League tie against Fiorentina, before meeting Jose Mourinho's Chelsea at Wembley. "It is not fair to play a final on the Sunday after you play in another 'final' in Florence on the Thursday," Pochettino told a news conference on Friday. "Chelsea play Burnley on the Saturday and then they have a clean week to prepare for the final. "It is not fair but then we have to understand this is the competition. We are in the Europa League, the League Cup final and the Premier League. "Maybe if Jose (Mourinho) were in my position now they would be complaining about the situation." Spurs, who are sixth in the Premier League table with 37 points from 22 matches, begin their marathon run of games against West Bromwich Albion at the Hawthorns on Saturday. "This is our challenge now," Pochettino said. "To keep the mentality and stay focused. The most important game is tomorrow. "We need to keep fighting and this is the best way to keep our level and arrive in the best condition in the final." (Reporting by Michael Hann, editing by Ed Osmond)