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I think we need help from the FA- Mauricio Pochettino on domestic schedule

Published at :March 5, 2019 at 5:32 PM
Modified at :March 5, 2019 at 5:32 PM
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Atrayo Bhattacharya


The North London club have a three-goal advantage over the Bundesliga leaders.

Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino has called out for help to the Football Association and Premier League to aid the English clubs to be stronger for the Champions League.

The Argentine was furious with the lack of preparation time for their Champions League round of 16 tie against Bundesliga leaders Borussia Dortmund. However, the Lilywhites had limited preparation time on both the legs before the Champions League fixtures.

Spurs played against Leicester City on Sunday before playing Dortmund in the first leg with Germans having a 24-hour cushion to prepare for the high voltage fixture. Similarly, before the second leg, the Bundesliga leaders played their last match against Augsburg on Friday but Pochettino's men featured in the North London derby against Arsenal on Saturday afternoon.

However, the lack of preparation had zero adverse effect in their display as the Premier League side hammered Dortmund at the Wembley winning 3-0 and being the favourites to qualify for the next round.

"I think we need help from the FA, we need help from the Premier League, I don't know because I am not involved in the decisions," the Argentinian said.

"I don't know whether to blame the FA or to blame the Premier League or to blame Tottenham because we changed the day because we've still not delivered our new stadium or the TV because they wanted us to play live on Saturday."

"Look what happened with Rennes in the Europa League. They cancelled their game at the weekend to help Rennes to play against Arsenal. In Europe, the FAs are more sensitive to help the club to compete in the best way in Europe," he said.

He added, "I would like to play in the same situation as your opponent. That is the most important, you have the same days to prepare for the game. I think that is not fair and it is a problem that in the future it is a thing we need to change if we want to help the English clubs be stronger in the competition."

Pochettino feels that the problems with the domestic schedule play a vital role in the English clubs' performances in European competitions in the recent past.

"We need to be more sensitive to the clubs who play in Europe to provide better condition to have the same possibility to arrive to the games," said the coach.

Pochettino feels despite all these problems the North London side is on the verge of qualification to the Champions League quarterfinals this season and were recently out of the Premier League title race, which makes his players heroes according to the tactician.

"Because we have warriors and players who are heroes in the way they fight, only we are here because of that," he said.

"Our mentality is a Champions League mentality. It's a World Cup winners' mentality."

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Despite holding a handsome 3-0 first leg lead Pochettino has demanded his men to go out all out against the Bundesliga leaders at their home ground.

"We need to play like always we play, trying to win, that is important," he said.

"We know Borussia Dortmund is a great team, top of the Bundesliga because they deserve to be there. It's going to be tough. They will start the game aggressively and try to push us deeper," he said.

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"We need to show the same aggressiveness, play our way. Winning 3-0 at Wembley is not important tomorrow."

Spurs will miss the likes of Dele Alli and Kieran Trippier who are sidelined with injuries and have not travelled with the squad. Whereas Harry Winks and Eric Dier are also doubtful for the fixture but the duo have travelled with the side to Dortmund.

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