Mauricio Pochettino sends support to Sevilla manager and former teammate Eduardo Berizzo after cancer diagnosis

Mauricio Pochettino sent a text in support of Sevilla manager and former teammate Eduardo Berizzo after his prostate cancer diagnosis, and also looked to send his condolences to his former coach Luis Bonini, who passed away from stomach cancer on Thursday.

Berizzo played with Pochettino at Newell’s Old Boys for four years between 1989 and 1993, and then later in the Argentine national team, and this week it was revealed that he told his Sevilla players of his illness at half-time of the Spanish club’s remarkable 3-3 comeback against Liverpool in the Champions League on Tuesday.

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“I sent a text to his assistant [Ernesto Marcucci], I tried to contact him but it was impossible by phone,” Pochettino said of Berizzo. “I don't have the full information about what’s happened but of course I want to send all my love and hope that it is all going well.

“I know him very well because we played at Newell's Old Boys when young. He was my teammate, my friend. Of course, I'm with him at this difficult moment, of course I want to send best wishes for all that he is going to do.”

Pochettino meanwhile said in his he wanted to add comments on former Argentine assistant manager Bonini, who passed away on Thursday.

“Of course, I want to send condolences to family of Luis Bonini. He was my sports scientist and assistant manager of Marcelo Bielsa in Argentina, a very good friend of mine, I want to send all my love to his family. It's very painful day for me, the bad news that he passed away.”