POCH’S EURO GAMBLE
Tottenham manager axes Alderweireld and Trippier for Inter Milan opener
MAURICIO POCHETTINO has taken a Champions League gamble by leaving out Toby Alderweireld and Kieran Trippier of his squad to face Inter Milan tonight.
The Tottenham manager maintained the move to axe his star defender and England’s best player at the World Cup was a “technical decision”, and not a punishment after defeat by Liverpool last Saturday. He said: “It’s a technical decision. You can look it up, find it in the dictionary. A technical decision.
“Tactical is on the pitch. Yes, maybe tactical is outside of the pitch too. But it’s technical decision, tactical decision, it’s a decision in the end. You cannot bring 25 players. You can only play 11 players with seven on the bench. That is the reason.”
Hugo Lloris and Dele Alli are still out injured for Spurs’ Group B opener but
Pochettino said: “I never punish players because you win and lose. The plan is to leave them and use different players. We believe it’s the best decision.”
But it has once more plunged Alderweireld’s future into doubt. With less than two years left on his contract, the Belgian could leave for just £25million during a two-week window next summer because of a clause in his contract.
He was frozen out of the Spurs team last season – only to play in six out of his country’s seven games at the World Cup.
He was priced out of a move to Manchester United but now finds himself out in the cold again.
Pochettino claims Spurs fans need not be worried about lining up against Inter without two key players.
He said: “We win or we lose. Against Liverpool they play and we lose. The fans might be concerned because we didn’t play Davinson Sanchez or Serge Aurier. It is wrong to think that way.”