Boss upset as Spurs crash again at Wembley

MAURICIO Pochettino admitted he was embarrassed as Tottenham’s second successive defeat at Wembley left their hopes of Champions League qualification hanging by a thread.

Spurs were well below par at the national stadium and Bayer Leverkusen took full advantage, claiming a 1-0 victory thanks to Kevin Kampl’s second-half winner.

The result means Pochettino’s men have now won only once in seven matches at Wembley and lost both their games there this season after being beaten 2-1 at home to Monaco in September.

Pochettino, however, insists the unfamiliar venue is no excuse.

“There is no better place to play than Wembley,” he said. “Losing in front of 85,000 people, it’s very embarrassing for me, it’s a shame. We have to look at ourselves.

“You cannot blame Wembley. Wembley for me was fantastic but we need to show more.

“We were poor again, we need to find answers in ourselves. We need to be critical. We were the problem, not Wembley.

“We were very disappointed we didn’t show quality. Stop blaming Wembley, it’s not Wembley.”

The defeat leaves Tottenham with a mountain to climb in Group E, where they sit third, two points behind Leverkusen and four back on Monaco, who they face away in France later this month.

Spurs then return to Wembley for the final group match in December against CSKA Moscow.

“We must win in Monaco,” said Pochettino. “If not, f orget the Champions League.

‘We must win in Monaco and then we must win against CSKA. If not, bye bye Champions League.”

Ray McKinnon