KANE SCORES A STUNNER AS SPURS PUT JUVE IN THE SHADE
▶ Positive signs for new season after England striker’s spectacular winner
“When I arrived, Arsenal was 21 years in a row above Tottenham. Now we are now fighting with the big clubs and that’s a massive challenge.”
Mauricio Pochettino is not taking anything for granted. The Argentine has overseen a remarkable renaissance since taking over at Tottenham Hotspur five years ago that has seen them become an established top-four side who are challenging for Europe’s top honours.
They deservedly defeated Italian champions Juventus 3-2 in yesterday’s pre-season friendly in Singapore. It may have taken a spectacular strike in stoppage time from Harry Kane, the England captain scoring with a shot from just past the halfway line, to give Tottenham the win, but they were worth it.
Juventus have won Serie A the past eight years and had a strong squad on show for the International Champions Cup clash, led by Cristiano Ronaldo.
Pochettino admitted that he still looks enviously at what other sides have compared to him, despite what Tottenham have accomplished under him.
“When you see the starting XI of Juventus you think ‘Oh my god’ – they have an amazing squad,” he said.
The 47-year-old is aware that following up on a campaign that saw them in the Premier League title hunt until March as well as reaching the club’s first European Cup final is a hard act to follow.
While clearly happy with what he saw yesterday against Juventus, there was a sense of realism to his words.
“My position is to do the best, but look at our squad today with players aged 17, 18 and 19,” he said. “We will start another season with the tools that we are given. Our aim is to be regular like we reached the Champions League in the last four years and then make the difficult final step.”
Speculation continues to link Gareth Bale with a possible move back to Tottenham as his relationship with Real Madrid seemingly sours further by the day, but it was the club’s current superstar who was the hero yesterday.
Kane, who had come on as substitute, latched on to a loose ball and he struck a looping shot as the ball rolled over the half-way line.
Juventus goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, a former Arsenal player, was off his line and could only watch in horror as the ball went over him and found the net.
“One of the best goals in my career,” said Kane. “I saw the keeper was off the line and thought I might have the chance to shoot in the last minute.”
A delighted Pochettino said: “A great goal, unbelievable for Harry. This type of situation happened because of the quality of the player.”
This was Tottenham’s first game back since their Champions League final loss to Liver
pool in Madrid on June 1. Erik Lamela had opened the scoring in the first half to reward Tottenham’s impressive display as they consistently had Juventus on the backfoot.
Goals from Gonzalo Higuain and Ronaldo put Juventus ahead by the hour mark, but Lucas Moura quickly had the English side level pegging again.
It had looked as if it would be a stalemate until Kane’s lastgasp effort and Pochettino was pleased with what he saw.
“To start the pre-season scoring and winning against Juventus, I’m happy with the performance,” he said, though also confessing he would have preferred an easier first opponent.
“I am not a fan to play this type of game against a big team like Juventus so early in the pre-season.”
But regardless Tottenham are in a good place. A superb new stadium, a talented coach and a settled squad that has seen the arrival of record signing Tanguy Ndombele from Lyon. He used his first touch to assist Moura’s equaliser.
It will be a surprise if Spurs finish outside the Premier League’s top four this season, with the goal to be closer over the whole season, not just two thirds of it, to champions Manchester City and Liverpool.
Beating Juventus, even if it just a friendly, is encouraging.
Ronaldo was their big-name signing a year ago, this summer they brought in Aaron Ramsey, Adrien Rabiot, Luca Pellegrini, Cristian Romero and Matthijs De Ligt, while Buffon, 41, is back from Paris Saint-Germain.
They will have a strong season and will be a threat in the Champions League come next spring when the knockout stages come around again. But then so will Spurs, no matter how much Pochettino tries to dampen expectations.