Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino has challenged his side to seize its unexpected chance to make history as it tries to overturn a 0-1 deficit against Ajax Amsterdam in the Champions League semi-final second leg.
Mauricio Pochettino, Tottenham Hotspur manager
London:
Tottenham goes into its biggest game for decades on a low note, after losing 0-1 at Bournemouth on Saturday, a defeat that stopped it wrapping up a place in next season’s CL via a top-four finish in the Premier League. It was a third successive loss in all competitions for Tottenham, which finished with nine men after red cards for Son Heung-min and Juan Foyth.
Spurs, trying to reach its first European final since the 1984 UEFA Cup, has to focus on the challenge presented by Ajax’s vibrant young side. Having already eliminated Real Madrid and Juventus this season, the Dutch side showed its vast potential against Tottenham in the first leg. Crucially, Pochettino will have Son back from his ban for the second leg and the South Korean forward should give his team a far more dynamic look.
The Argentine hopes his confident attitude transfers to his players. “We have ahead two ‘finals’, against Ajax and Everton. It’s in our hands to be in a good position at the end of the season,” said Pochettino. Although Tottenham will know it has missed a golden opportunity to reach the final if it doesn’t succeed in the second leg, Pochettino is adamant his players have done more than enough already to make him proud.
“No one believed we’d be in this position in the last week of the competition. We are in a position where it depends on us to be in the (CL) final and then it depends on us to finish in the top four. It’s a massive week and that’s why we need to move on, try to recover as soon as possible and be ready again. But whatever happens I am going to feel proud.”
Many pundits and fans claim Tottenham has blown its opportunity after Donny van de Beek’s strike gave Ajax a priceless lead to defend in Amsterdam. But, Pochettino is convinced Spurs can still reach the club’s maiden CL final despite losing the first leg at home last week.
Tottenham goes into its biggest game for decades on a low note, after losing 0-1 at Bournemouth on Saturday, a defeat that stopped it wrapping up a place in next season’s CL via a top-four finish in the Premier League. It was a third successive loss in all competitions for Tottenham, which finished with nine men after red cards for Son Heung-min and Juan Foyth.
Spurs, trying to reach its first European final since the 1984 UEFA Cup, has to focus on the challenge presented by Ajax’s vibrant young side. Having already eliminated Real Madrid and Juventus this season, the Dutch side showed its vast potential against Tottenham in the first leg. Crucially, Pochettino will have Son back from his ban for the second leg and the South Korean forward should give his team a far more dynamic look.
The Argentine hopes his confident attitude transfers to his players. “We have ahead two ‘finals’, against Ajax and Everton. It’s in our hands to be in a good position at the end of the season,” said Pochettino. Although Tottenham will know it has missed a golden opportunity to reach the final if it doesn’t succeed in the second leg, Pochettino is adamant his players have done more than enough already to make him proud.
“No one believed we’d be in this position in the last week of the competition. We are in a position where it depends on us to be in the (CL) final and then it depends on us to finish in the top four. It’s a massive week and that’s why we need to move on, try to recover as soon as possible and be ready again. But whatever happens I am going to feel proud.”