Pochettino admits defeat to West Ham was mood killer ahead of Ajax clash
Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino admits the mood at the club is not the one he wants going into the first leg of their Uefa Champions League semi-final against Ajax.
Spurs suffered their first defeat at their new stadium on Saturday when West Ham won 1-0 in a game where the home side’s gruelling fixture schedule and lengthy injury list caught up with them.
Pochettino accepted they struggled to cope with “stress and fatigue” in the second half and they went down to Michail Antonio’s 67th-minute goal.
It was hardly the ideal buildup to what is the club’s biggest game in recent history not to mention it leaves the door open for their Premier League rivals in the race for the top four, which no one appears willing to win.
“The feeling for everyone changes quickly,” Pochettino said after his side’s lethargic display.
“After Brighton [Tuesday’s 1-0 win] everyone was with a very good feeling, a fantastic season and we were going to arrive in our best condition.
“However, after our defeat today it’s like we arrive in a complete opposite way. We knew very well to compete in the top four and the Champions League is very tough.
“I still feel proud of them because it was a massive effort against a team that was preparing for the game with fresh legs – a very good team.
“With all of our circumstances we competed very well to win the game but we need to accept some time it is tough, we didn’t score but we conceded and now we need to move on. We cannot create a problem when there is not one there.” One face who will not be involved tomorrow night is Harry Kane.
The side’s top scorer picked up an ankle injury in the first leg of their quarter-final Champions League tie and had been expected to be ruled out for the rest of the campaign.
But Pochettino believes if Tottenham can get past Ajax that Kane could be available to play a part in the final on June 2 at the Wanda Metropolitano in Madrid.
“My gut is maybe he can be available for it because I know Harry Kane,” he said. “The determination to work and to be focused and recover as soon as possible.
“But I am not a doctor. This is only my gut. I hope he can be available. He’s doing well but today I cannot guess.
“He can be available before or after – that is going to depend on his rehab.
“Now he is in a very good period that is going forward quick but always the last moment is the most difficult – to take the decision to play or not.”