Champions League

[monks data]

Champions League | Round of 16

Mar 7, 2018 at 7.45pm UK

Spurs Tottenham Hotspur
1-2
Juventus

Heung-min (39')

FT(HT: 1-0)

Higuain (64'), Dybala (67')

Mauricio Pochettino: 'Juventus loss a huge learning curve'

By Daniel Lewis, Senior Reporter | 09 March 2018

Mauricio Pochettino admires the way Juventus "do everything" possible to gain an advantage, admitting that Tottenham Hotspur can learn a lot from the Italians.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino has admitted that his side can learn a lot from Juventus after being dumped out of the Champions League by the Italian giants.

Despite being second best for large parts of the two-legged affair, Juve - finalists in two of the last three seasons - made the most of their chances to snatch a 4-3 aggregate win.

Pochettino has no complaints about the outcome of the last-16 tie, instead confessing that he admires Juventus for the way they "do everything" they possibly can to claim any sort of advantage.

Speaking to reporters two days on from the defeat, the 46-year-old said: "If we only see the stats from the two games, Tottenham was much the better team. But in football, it's not only about a better performance, stats, more shots on target or to have more possession. It's small details.

"Competitions demand different things. Juve are specialists, because they have the habit to win, the habit to put pressure on the referee. The chairman (Andrea Agnelli) stayed in the tunnel before and during the game. It's a club with a culture to try to do everything to help the team. It's a massive opportunity to learn not only on the pitch but outside it. It's two games against this type of club – one on the pitch, one outside of the pitch.

"I don't say that Daniel [Levy] needs to be there [in the tunnel]. Only that Juventus was a massive lesson in how to behave. Before the game was Agnelli. After the game was Agnelli, [Giuseppe] Marotta.

"I saw at half time how they put pressure on the referee. It's about small details that count a lot in this type of game – even games that both teams can win. I believe those details can help the club to achieve what we want."

Spurs are now left focusing on the FA Cup and a top-four finish in the Premier League, with Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium up next.