Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino has played down his coincidental meeting with Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu, insisting he will never manage the club.
The Argentine was seen as a potential replacement for Luis Enrique at the Camp Nou after chatting with Bartmomeu in a bar in the Catalan capital last week.
But Pochettino has dispelled the rumours, saying the fact that he remains a fan of city rivals Espanyol, where he spent almost 14 years as first a player then manager, means he could not accept the Barca job.
"It was true [that he and Bartomeu had met]. It was a coincidence in a bar in Barcelona," the 45-year-old said in a news conference on Thursday.
"I've known him for a long time, since before he became the chairman of Barcelona. Many people saw us but we spent five minutes together. That was the reality.
"The rumours afterwards are impossible to stop, but I am an Espanyol supporter. If Daniel Levy sacked me in a few years, it would be impossible for me to manage Arsenal.
"In football I know it is difficult to keep value and be loyal with heart and emotion. But for me, as a manager and as a player, to be loyal is important.
"I am an Espanyol fan, I love Espanyol. For me, it is the same as Tottenham. It would be impossible for me to move to Arsenal."
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