Tobi Ijalana
Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino says his side are still alive in their Champions League semi-final despite losing 1-0 at home to Ajax in the first leg.
Donny van de Beek’s 15 minutes goal gave Ajax a narrow win over Spurs in north London on Tuesday.
“It’s going to be difficult, but it’s still open.
“It’s about preparing for the second leg. We will try to win. It will be tough for us, but also tough for them,” Pochettino said.
In addition, Poch admitted Tottenham’s attitude wasn’t good enough but the second half was much better giving them hope for the second leg.
“I think the attitude was there, but we didn’t find a way to play. The second half was much better, we forced them to play deeper.
“We didn’t show the energy we wanted to show and the way that we conceded the goal was painful. We struggled in the first half an hour.
” We pressed in the way we wanted to press. The second half gave us hope for the second leg.”
The Argentine also took responsibility for his side’s early struggle, acknowledging that a change of shape from a five-man defence to a back four aided his side.
“I can accept it was a mistake, the shape we used.
“But there were not too many options. I am not happy, you cannot guess what happens if we play in a different way.
“It was the not the shape that conceded the goal. Our approach to the game was not good. I am the manager so I have responsibility.”
Pochettino praised his players for reaching Spurs first semi-final in Europe’s premier club competition since 1962.
“My players are heroes to be in the situation that we are in,” he said. “We need to give them full credit.”
