POCH AND SIMEONE SALUTE SPURS’ YOUNG GUNS
MAURICIO POCHETTINO and Diego Simeone both praised Tottenham’s youngsters after a novice Spurs side was defeated 1-0 by Atletico Madrid at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Pochettino’s fresh-faced squad were unlucky to lose to a side that featured eight players from this summer’s Champions League final. Following the match both managers paid tribute to a Tottenham XI which contained four academy products who had never started a Premier League game for the club. Diego Godin’s strike gave the Spaniards victory but Pochettino was quick to take the positives ‘It was a very good test for us,’ he said. ‘I feel very proud of my players. I thought we were better than Atletico.’ Pochettino praised defensive duo Anton Walkes, 19, and Cameron Carter-Vickers, 18. ‘Anton and Cameron against Fernando Torres, Godin and a world-class player like Tiago, I think was fantastic,’ he said. Simeone, a former international team-mate of Pochettino, agreed. ‘They are very bold, aggressive, quick and intensive,’ he said.