Pochettino calls for his Spurs side to beat PSV as a thank you to patient supporters
Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino has hailed the patience of the club’s fans over the delay in the new stadium and said his side can repay them by winning their Champions League clash against PSV Eindhoven today.
Spurs again play at their temporary home of Wembley Stadium while work continues on their new ground on the site of their old White Hart Lane venue which will not open until January at the earliest.
Pochettino’s side are facing an early exit from Europe’s elite club competition, sitting bottom of Group B with one point from three games.
“We cannot ask more from them. We, the club, [chairman)] Daniel [Levy] we feel sorry for them. Of course, we all expected to be in the new stadium in this period. We can only be grateful as to be at Wembley for them is tougher than it is for us,” Pochettino said. “We hope we can pay back all the effort by winning [against PSV. It’s the only way we can repay them.”
Tottenham’s battle to remain in the Champions League appeared more difficult with an dwindling list of players to choose from. In addition to long-term injury absentees Danny Rose (groin) and Jan Vertonghen (hamstring), Spurs will also be without midfielders Mousa Dembele (ankle), Eric Dier (thigh) and Victor Wanayama (knee). Goalkeeper Hugo Lloris is suspended following the Frenchman’s red card against the Dutch side in Eindhoven two weeks ago.
Nevertheless, Spurs will retain hope of reaching the knockout stage should Barcelona beat Inter Milan in Italy.
“We need to do our job,” Pochettino said. “We want to be in the next stage, it’s not only we need the help of Barcelona winning the game.
“It’s a great opportunity to get the three points and to have the hope to go to the next stage and then we have Inter Milan here and play the last game in Barcelona ... maybe if they win it can help us, but we are the most important thing.”