Pochettino’s men have been written off time and time again . . but after their heroics at Ajax they could emerge as the kings of Europe

WITH their flaky reputation a thing of the past they are now becoming the club that just will not die in Europe.

Time and again this season Spurs have looked finished in the Champions League. Last summer, after a transfer window in which they failed to sign a single player, Mauricio Pochettino and his squad were ridiculed when suggesting they could make an impact in the competition this season.

After defeats to

Inter Milan and Barcelona and a draw at PSV in the group games, the idea Spurs could qualify for the knockout stages was laughed out of London.

At 3-0 down on aggregate in the Johan Cruyff Arena on Wednesday night, Ajax flying and the north Londoners set to extend their run of defeats to six out of seven, talk that lightning could strike twice after Liverpool’s comeback against Barcelona appeared to be fanciful at best.

Who is laughing now?

Spurs are planning for the final in Madrid and the possibility that, against all the odds, they could end a quite remarkable campaign as kings of Europe.

As the magnitude of their unlikely semifinal win sank in, defender Toby Alderweireld said: “If you do this after being 2-0 down it’s incredible. This season in this competition we were already dead a couple of times and we came back. The group stages, Manchester City away as well.

“I think we deserve to be in the final. If you play Dortmund, at the time the top team in the league in Germany; City, top in England; Ajax, top in the league in Holland; then I think