Spurs chase ‘special’ win in Nou Camp to seal progress
because of Tottenham not for having been at Espanyol or being an Espanyol fan.
“I’ve seen highlights of the derby. I know Barcelona very well. I know what they’re capable of doing. They’re not going to surprise us.
“If we want to deserve it we need to win against one of the best teams in the world in a huge stadium.
“If Inter get more points, it’s because we don’t deserve to be in the next round. But we have the possibility to qualify in our own hands. Everything depends on us.”
Pochettino will be keeping a close eye on Barcelona’s teamsheet, with manager Ernesto Valverde already confirming that Luis Suarez will not feature.
Lionel Messi is expected to play, however, meaning Spurs must find a way of stopping the man who ran riot at Wembley, scoring two goals in October’s reverse fixture.
Even if some of their top guns do not feature, Pochettino does not think his side’s task will get any easier.
“Tomorrow we are going to play against Barcelona,” he said. “I am not focused on the starting XI. When you play against Barcelona, there is always a pressure to win.
“You play for not only winning games but for something special. Like us, when we play we are Tottenham and it is not important the name.
“When you play Barcelona, you know very well the quality is amazing, of course different names have different qualities to add to the team but they are going to be strong, to try and beat us for different reasons, that is not my business.
“Valverde is going to decide the best for the team. If they play one or another, for us the motivation should be the same, the approach and thinking about delivering the best
0 Harry Kane, right, stretching with his team-mates in training last night, won’t need to worry about Luis Suarez, inset, this evening. result and be trying to be close to win. That is the best way to approach the game.”
Valverde confirmed yesterday that he will make changes for the match and that Suarez won’t play. The Uruguayan played 79 minutes against Espanyol and scored in the 4-0 rout but has been struggling with a knee injury.
“It’s true there’ll be changes because we’ve already qualified and because we had an important game on Saturday,” said the manager.
“There are players with discomfort and it does not fit into my plans. Luis will not play.
ERNESTO VALVERDE In 24 hours I will answer you categorically about Messi.”
Valverde will, of course, be sending out a Barca team that will be aiming to win the game but he knows their task is made tougher by Tottenham’s do-or-die predicament.
“Well, we expect a tough game because they have great physical and tactical strength,” he added. “It is a complicated game because they also play for qualification. We will go out to win as we have done before. It is true that we are qualifiedandwehaveachieved it on our own merits.
“We will go out to win. We respect the competition and we want to win.”
And Barca will pay particular attention to Harry Kane, even if Valverde did swerve the answer when asked if the England striker is good enough to play at the Nou Camp.
“He’s a great player, world class,” Valverde said. “An extraordinary striker who associates well, has an aerial game, is decisive in the area.
“I do not like to talk about players who are on other teams. We keep the maximum discretion but that does not stop us feeling a great respect for Kane and admire him.”
“There’ll be changes because we’ve already qualified and because we had an important game on Saturday. There are players with discomfort. Luis Suarez will not play. In 24 hours I will answer you categorically about Lionel Messi”