No let-up as Pochettino aims to get his Spurs into Fiorentina

Tottenham have the Capital One Cup final looming large but that does not mean Mauricio Pochettino will be treating tonight’s Fiorentina match lightly.

He described the Europa League tie as merely their “first final”.

The next few days have the potential to decide whether the former Argentina defender’s first season at the White Hart Lane helm is deemed a success or failure. Sunday offers the mouth-watering prospect of silverware in the Capital One Cup final, when victory against Chelsea would end a seven-year wait for a trophy.

Before the Wembley showdown, though, comes another important match as Spurs take on Serie A high-fliers Fiorentina for a place in the Europa League last-16.

A 1-1 draw in the first leg means the north Londoners face a tough challenge at the Stadio Artemio Franchi (kick-off 6pm, televised on BT Sport 2) — a match which has Pochettino’s full attention, despite the little matter of Sunday. “The problem is the decision that you take is always about the result that you get,” the Spurs boss said when asked about rotating his side in Florence. “If tomorrow you make the rotation and after on Sunday you win, you are a genius.

“Sunday you may rest some players and play others and win against Chelsea in final — you’re a genius. “But if you lose tomorrow and lost in the final, you are a very bad manager, a very bad coach. I think it’s not fair.

“The most important thing is to be clear, analyse and to identify that tomorrow is our first final.

“We need to decide the team after we analyse every case and every player. After, the players we play tomorrow is because they are in full recovery and fully fit. But if you take one decision or another decision, after it’s about result. If you take a positive result, it’s the same. I’m the same manager.

“We take the decision to try to win tomorrow, for trying to play better than Fiorentina and after, analyse the game and try to put the best team out for the final on Sunday.”