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TOTTENHAM’S Champions League dream was ended by a second-half sucker-punch from Italian champions Juventus.
Spurs, leading 1-0 on the night and 3-2 on aggregate through Son Heung-min’s goal, were half an hour from reaching the quarter-finals.
But two goals in three minutes from Gonzalo Higuain and Paulo Dybala floored Mauricio Pochettino’s side as their European run finally came to a halt with a 4-3 aggregate defeat.
A disappointed Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino told BT Sport: “In less than three minutes we conceded two goals, [we made] two big mistakes – and that is why we are out of the competition. But at the same time I think in both games we were the better team.
“We conceded and I think it was just two mistakes in the game. But they have quality and if you make a mistake they will score. I feel proud – we were the better team. Of course I’m disappointed but it is a part of growing.
“For us it was tough but a fantastic experience,” Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini said. “We believed in the win. We knew about the fantastic players at Tottenham – Harry Kane, [Christian] Eriksen, Dele Alli, Son – it’s an amazing side and they conceded many chances in every game and at the end of the first half, we believed it.
“We said, ‘Keep calm and the chances surely would arrive’. We had to be concentrated and score when we had the chance, we did it.”
It was a brave display from Spurs, who came agonisingly close to forcing extra-time when Harry Kane hit a post with a minute to play, but Champions