No shame in group stage exit, says Pochettino

By Jonathan Veal

Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino does not think it would be embarrassing if his side were knocked out of the Champions League at the group stage.

Spurs realistically have to beat PSV at Wembley tonight if they are to have any chance of extending their stay in the competition until after Christmas, with games against Inter Milan and Barcelona still to come.

They have managed just one point at the halfway point of the group stage and that came in Eindhoven in the reverse fixture a fortnight ago.

Spurs marketed their qualification for this tournament by saying the only place to see Champions League football in London this season would be in their new stadium.

However, they could have exited before they have even moved in if they do not advance from the group stages.

“When you compete at that level against Inter Milan or PSV, of course Barcelona, it is not easy to go to the next stage of the Champions League and qualify,” he said.

If you don’t deserve to go, it’s disappointing but not embarrassing.

“We all feel disappointed because we cannot deliver the possibility of playing the Champions League in our new stadium, but it wasn’t in our hands, there were many things that complicated it. It is impossible to blame the club.

“If we are able to win tomorrow and have the possibility to go to the next stage maybe we can play in the Champions League in March in the new stadium.”

Spurs have injury concerns for the game with Mousa Dembele the latest victim following his ankle injury at Wolves on Saturday.

Dembele joins Eric Dier (thigh), Victor Wanyama (knee), Danny Rose (groin) and Jan Vertonghen (hamstring) on the injury list, while Hugo Lloris is suspended following his red card in Eindhoven.

This mini-crisis is the latest problem in a long line for Pochettino, who has recently said this season has left him feeling his lowest while at Spurs.

That is in part due to the stadium delays, not signing any players in the summer, and nine of his players returning back from the World Cup just six days before the start of the season.

The former Southampton manager revealed he has been able to take his mind off his problems by getting engrossed in a box set of a political thriller.

“Yes it’s a weird season but I look so happy now because the new season of House Of Cards has started,” he revealed. “Yesterday I watched three episodes. I learn a lot from this series. I recommend it.

“I think it represents very well sometimes how we are. Sometimes football is so political, and it’s going in this direction.

Which character am I? I don’t know, it’s difficult to say. It’s dangerous to say this or this one. It’s fiction but it can translate to many businesses.

For his part, Mark van Bommel will not allow his PSV side to use the poor condition of the Wembley pitch as an excuse tonight.

Wembley staff checked the condition of the pitch yesterday afternoon and deemed it fit for the Dutch side to train on in the evening and also gave the game the green light.

“I saw the pitch on pictures but it doesn’t matter, just like in Holland you have to prepare and you know where you are going,” Van Bommel said.

“If you are thinking about the pitch then it is not good. You have to prepare and that is it. You cannot complain, you cannot change the situation.”