BOSS ‘QUIT’ BOMBSHELL
TOTTENHAM boss Mauricio Pochettino has urged his stars to play with “freedom” because they have “nothing to lose”.
It was a rallying cry of sorts from Pochettino, who was anxious to play on Spurs being the underdogs all season with no one giving them a chance.
But they find themselves 90 minutes from history and a first ever Champions League Final which would have seemed unthinkable given all the obstacles they have overcome.
No signings, having to play at Wembley and a disastrous start in the group stage saw them take just one point from their opening three games, which left them staring at an early exit.
But now they must overcome a different problem as they trail Ajax from last week’s first leg having been comprehensively outplayed at home.
They were lucky to still be within touching distance and must stage a comeback without top-scorer Harry Kane (with Pochettino, above, right).
But the Argentine has no doubts that they can pull it off.
He said: “It’s an exciting moment for us to be in a semi-final.
“We need to enjoy it and have more freedom to play and to start the game the way we want to start – as our approach was really poor in the first leg.
“We need to feel more freedom to play. We have nothing to lose from the beginning. We know we need to win and try.
“To be here with a negative result from the first leg makes it difficult, but it is still open. We know that we need to win the game to have the chance to be in the final, that’s the objective.
“We have to perform to our best and have some luck because in football you need luck.
“At the start of the season, no one believed we could reach the Champions League Final and be in the top four. Both things can be real.
“But this is not the right moment to talk. We will have time to talk about that.”
And Pochettino (who watched defender Jan Vertonghen train in a protective mask last night on the Ajax pitch, above, left) added Spurs have proved their worth by getting this far.
He said: “Ajax were very good in the first leg. They showed more energy than us, were very dynamic and very good.
“It was difficult for us to be on our game and we talked after the game. But our approach was bad.
“And what happens tomorrow is not to justify whether they were poor in the first leg or not. If you play a semi-final it is because you have good players, your team and your coaching staff are good. Liverpool, Barca, Ajax and Spurs are good.
“There are different circumstances that can happen in a game, but to arrive in the semi-final of the toughest competition in the world is because you are good.” FROM BACK PAGE the Champions League? It should be fantastic, no? Close the five-year chapter and go home.” Pochettino was then pressed on his shock remark on the eve of the biggest game of his managerial career and asked whether he was joking.
“It’s not a joke, why?” said Pochettino. “To win the Champions League with Tottenham, in this circumstance, in this season, maybe I need to think to do something different in the future because to repeat this miracle, you know...” Defender Jan Vertonghen has travelled to Amsterdam and is set to start with a mask on his face after injuring his nose in the first leg and Davinson Sanchez is ruled out through injury. Pochettino said: “He didn’t suffer more than a cut on his nose, no more. He will need a mask, but it’s not a big issue.”