TRIPPED UP BY THE PREM
Every team who won 3-0 at home in the first leg of a Champions League knockout match has gone on to the next round (seven previous cases).
If Tottenham go through, it would be their second appearance in the quarterfinals after 2010/11. Dortmund conceded more goals in the first leg against Tottenham (3) than in the entire group stages (2). Spurs have won their three previous encounters with Borussia
Dortmund in the Champions League, twice in last season’s group stages (3-1 at Wembley, 2-1 at
Signal Iduna Park) and in this season’s round of 16 first leg (3-0 at Wembley). 11 of Spurs’ 12 goals in the Champions League this season have come in the second-half (92 per cent). Spurs’ Son Heung-min has scored nine goals in 11 games in all competitions against Borussia Dortmund, more than against any other side in his senior club career.
Tottenham have scored in each of their last 17 Champions League games, their longest run in the competition.
Dortmund’s attacking trio of Mario Gotze, Jadon Sancho and Christian Pulisic only had one shot combined in the first leg. Pochettino. “In the Champions
League or Europa
League or domestic cups in
England you need not only to win games, you need to be more than lucky to reach the final.
“The draw is important, many circumstances are involved. Sometimes you can win a final without being the best team.”
Tottenham defender Ben Davies played in the Dortmund defeat three years ago and also in last season’s last-16 exit to Juventus when Spurs seemed to be in control after the first leg only to blow it at Wembley.
Davies said: “It was a tough night (in 2016). I remember the stadium and the noise and the atmosphere and it was a special experience to play there. Obviously the result didn’t go our way and it was a hugely disappointing performance.
“But I feel we are much better prepared this time around and we are determined not to let that happen again. We can’t afford to be complacent, we have to go out there and play our normal game. We can’t afford to let anything get past us, especially in the first half.
“We have to make sure we put on a very professional performance. We can’t be complacent, we have to be switched on from the off.”
Spurs had only one point from their first three group games this season, losing to Inter and Barcelona before drawing 2-2 with PSV Eindhoven, and looked to be on their way out.
Davies added: “It would be unbelievable to reach the quarter-finals. Nobody thought we would get this far after our first three games in the group stage. It’s a massive opportunity for us now. If we can get it done who knows what can happen next?
“We’ll hopefully get this over the line and we’ll continue trying to put our best foot forward.”
SPANISH CLUBS 77% GERMAN 50% ITALIAN 50% FRENCH 50% ENGLISH
33%
MAURICIO POCHETTINO last night slammed the Premier League for not supporting English clubs in Europe.
Pochettino is angry about fixture scheduling which he insists gives other big clubs a major advantage in the Champions League.
The Tottenham boss admitted he had to leave Kieran Trippier in London after a run of three games in a week saw them crash out of the title race as they lost to Burnley and Chelsea and were held to a draw by Arsenal on Saturday.
Borussia Dortmund were given a helping hand by the Bundesliga as their game with Augsburg was switched to Friday night to give them an extra day’s preparation.
Pochettino said: “It is a problem we need to change if we want to help the English clubs be stronger in the competition. I don’t understand again, to arrive not in the same situation, both clubs going to compete for a massive and important competition like the Champions League.
“Of course we are going to fight and give our best. It’s impossible in this type of game, one team had 24 hours more than the other to prepare. It is massive.
“It’s not fair for the players, for the team to compete with a massive disadvantage.”