Jose Mourinho and his Tottenham’s players will breathe a sigh of relief as it emerged Stoke’s away changing room has been upgraded ahead of the Carabao Cup tie on Wednesday night.
With stadiums having to adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic, visiting teams have been forced to use temporary facilities since the return of football in June.
Stoke have been criticised for their away facilities
The Potters’ amenities have been described as a ‘pigsty’ by Middlesbrough boss Neil Warnock, while it is understood several other Championship clubs have complained, too.
The facilities that weve got changed in were an absolute disgrace today,” Warnock said earlier this month.
I wouldnt have put animals in it.
The toilets were blocked up, weve got fumes coming in from a bloody engine outside the dressing room.
Water everywhere on the floor, its a disgrace for the Championship, absolute disgrace.
Those changing rooms were a pigsty. In fact, pigs would have seen it and run away.”
The issue was put to Mourinho as his side prepare for their trip to Stoke on Saturday night in the quarter-final round of the Carabao Cup – and the Spurs boss expressed some concern.
He said: “Yes, I have a video of it. A video made from a colleague that works for another team that recently played against them.
“I was not going to raise the question. You raised that question. But it should not be a question for me. It should be a question for the authorities. All the authorities. Football authority. Safety authorities. But not for me.
Mourinho will be a relieved man
“I am not going to be the bad guy that is going to make comments about Stoke’s away dressing room.”
However, the away facilities have now been upgraded and were used for the first time by Blackburn on the weekend without complaint.
The away team are now being housed in an improved temporary structure with an in-built heating system, which will be a relief to Spurs.
You can listen to live commentary of Stoke vs Tottenham tonight on talkSPORT 2, kick-off 5.30pm