LONDON • Mauricio Pochettino believes Tottenham can win the Champions League, despite injuries ruling key players like Harry Kane, Dele Alli and Danny Rose out of the last-16, first leg at Wembley today.
Speaking yesterday at a pre-match conference ahead of the clash against Borussia Dortmund, the manager said: "I really believe we can win every game we play, but we know this competition is so tough. We are facing a team at the top of the German table.
"But, with all respect to the team we're playing, we always believe we can beat anyone.
"The players are giving their best and I am so proud to be in front of this group of players.
"If you are honest with yourself with what Tottenham are doing in the last few years, I think it's fantastic from the top to the bottom. Champions League for a third year in a row is a bonus.
"If we aren't ready to compete today, we have a problem. We'll find our energy to do our best."
Despite his optimism, the Argentinian is facing a defining moment in his Tottenham reign, as he tries to keep his bid for a first major prize in almost five years at the club alive after already exiting the FA Cup and the League Cup.
Spurs have never been past the last 16 of either the Champions League or the Europa League since the manager arrived from Southampton in May 2014.
There remains a nagging feeling of unfulfilled potential about the team, who have won only three Cups in the past 28 years. The last time they won a title was their League Cup triumph in 2008.
THE 12TH MAN
It definitely helps when the stadium is full and rocking. We want one of the best crowds in the world behind us.
JAN VERTONGHEN, Spurs defender, urging the fans to give the team a lift as they bid to improve on last season's showing.
Tottenham have finished in the Premier League's top three for the past three seasons and are on track to finish third this term. But their poor record in domestic Cups under Pochettino is a significant blemish and their European exploits have been equally confounding.
His first season featured a tame Europa League last-32 defeat by Fiorentina and, the following year, they were outclassed by Dortmund in the last 16.
His maiden voyage in the Champions League was even more rocky, as Tottenham failed to qualify from the group stage.
Finally hitting their stride last season, Spurs enjoyed a memorable 3-1 win over European champions Real Madrid in the group stage and they also beat Dortmund twice.
But, as the pressure mounted, Tottenham melted, blowing their lead in the last-16 second leg against Juventus as two second-half goals sent them crashing out.
Spurs defender Jan Vertonghen, who was also present at yesterday's press conference, has called for greater fan support at Wembley today if they are to progress further than the last 16 this campaign.
He said: "It definitely helps when the stadium is full and rocking. We want one of the best crowds in the world behind us."
Dortmund captain Marco Reus, meanwhile, has been ruled out of the clash with a thigh injury.
Reus, who has 17 goals for Dortmund in all competitions and is the club's leading scorer, injured his thigh during their German Cup defeat by Werder Bremen last week and missed their draw with Hoffenheim in the league at the weekend.
Jadon Sancho, the 18-year-old English winger who has eight goals and 10 assists in all competitions, is expected to take Reus' place in the starting line-up.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS
TOTTENHAM V DORTMUND
Singtel TV Ch110 & StarHub Ch214, tomorrow, 3.55am
Thomas Muller angered by Germany exclusion and vows to win back place in Joachim Low's plans "Shortly after we were told of the decision, pre-prepared statements from the DFB were delivered to the
Thomas Muller 'angry' after announcement that he'll no longer
Southampton 1-3 Liverpool: Reds return to the top of Premier
A look at the biggest talking points ahead of the first weekend of Premier League football this season, including Louis van Gaal's first match in charge of Manchester United and Jose Mourinho new
5 talking points ahead of the final weekend of the Premier
Angel Di Maria scored a sumptuous free-kick and Kylian Mbappe was also on target as Paris Saint-Germain continued their relentless march towards another French title by hammering Montpellier 5-1 on Wednesday.
Di Maria & Mbappe Among Goals as PSG Win Big Again
Pele remains under "observation" in a Brazilian hospital, his doctors said Thursday, describing the three-time World Cup winner as "clinically stable". The latest update on the Brazilian football great's health comes a day after the Albert Einstein hospital in Sao Paulo said he would need an
Pele remains under 'observation' in Brazil hospital: doctors
en.rfi.fr/wire/20190411-pele-remains-under-observation-brazil-hospital-doctors
Pele remains under "observation" in a Brazilian hospital, his doctors said Thursday, describing the three-time World Cup winner as "clinically stable". The latest update on the Brazilian football
Pele remains under 'observation' in Brazil hospital | Sport24
New favourites face two stiff tests The challenge is different for Liverpool. A weight of expectation invariably surrounds a club of their size and history, but now the equation has changed.
Ballon d'Or: Lionel Messi, Virgil van Dijk, analysis, odds
Salah retains African award to seal great day for Egypt Your Name * Recipient Email * 0. DAKAR: Liverpool and Egypt's Mohamed Salah (C) poses with Confederation of African Football president
Salah retains African award to seal great day for Egypt
Arsenal opinion: Should the Gunners make a move for Kurt Zouma? The Sun has reported that Arsenal manager Unai Emery is keen on adding defensive reinforcements in the summer. Appointed by the club
Petr Cech backing Arsenal young guns to plug gap left by Per
Juventus achieved their objective, despite everything going wrong - Allegri even on a night where everything seemed to go wrong," Allegri told Rai Sport. [Dybala's disallowed goal] was
Juventus achieved their objective, despite everything going
Hougang United Football Club, one of nine clubs in the professional football league, has filed a police report against an employee after losing S$278,200 from its coffers. ADVERTISING A female administrative staff member, Tean Tai Tee, allegedly misappropriated the sales revenue from the clubhouse between Nov 29 and Dec 11 last year.
tiagong, this female employee hoot Hong Gan United Football
The 2019 Women's World Cup kicked off Friday with France beating South Korea 4-0. France came into the tournament as one of the heavy favorites to win the championship --and for good reason. The
Rampant France thrash Korea in World Cup opener - oann.com
Cardiff City captain Sol Bamba dedicated his goal and a 2-1 victory over Southampton to Emiliano Sala after an emotional match for the Welsh club. Saturday's fixtures were the first round of
'Victory and goal for Sala', says Cardiff captain Bamba
Man United v Inter, Juve v Spurs in Singapore in July From left, legends Dwight Yorke, Francesco Toldo, Fabrizio Ravanelli and Teddy Sheringham at an event announcing the 2019 International
Tottenham to play Juventus, Inter, United in 2019
MUNICH (Germany): Bayern Munich won a record-extending seventh consecutive Bundesliga title on Saturday after crushing Eintracht Frankfurt 5-1 to finish two points ahead of rivals Borussia
Bayern Munich win Bundesliga title for seventh successive
0 comments:
Post a Comment