Tottenham Hotspur’s Champions League campaign is still hanging by a thread despite leaving it late to seal a 2-1 victory over PSV last night.
The north London side saw themselves trailing to the visitors after 61 seconds at Wembley and their campaign almost came to an end with still two games to go, but Harry Kane’s late brace, which came in quick succession, saved the day.
Tottenham were still a goal behind with 30 minutes to play, and manager Mauricio Pochettino was forced to make a change, with Lucas Moura making way for Erik Lamela in the 62nd minute.
However, the substitution was met with boos from the fans as the Brazilian wasn’t by anyway having a bad game.
Nevertheless, Pochettino’s tactics eventually paid off in the end, and the Spurs faithful surely got this one wrong.
The Argentine has responded to the odd moment, and he doesn’t appear to have been surprised by it.
“I understand. I like it. After four-and-a-half years it’s the first time they criticise and don’t agree, but in the end we won. Of course the fans were disappointed. They want to play with nine or ten strikers when losing the game, but we wanted to find a solution,” Pochettino told The Telegraph post-game.
“We put Fernando Llorente on and he helped Harry Kane score the goal. We tried to find different way to play. People say there is no Plan B. The most important thing in football is to have a plan.
“I have nothing to say about the fans. I am happy and grateful and I understand their reaction. If I was in the stand my reaction would be the same. Thank you to the fans for coming to Wembley to support the team. Fantastic effort.”
Tottenham host Inter Milan later this month before travelling to face Barcelona next month, and they will crash out of the competition should they lose to the Italians.
A win will boost their chances, though, and they will hope Inter lose to PSV while they pick up a crucial win at the Camp Nou.
Pochettino’s side have been impressive domestically, and are still very much in the race to challenge for the three silverware available.
They aren’t one of the favourites in the Champions League, but they are one of the dark horses, and qualifying for the last-16 against all odds will go a long way in boosting their confidence going forward in the competition.
