MADRID • Mauricio Pochettino admitted "it was very tough" on his Tottenham side after a 23-second penalty conceded by Moussa Sissoko meant three weeks of planning effectively went out the window from the kick-off.
Having worked wonders to get Spurs to their first Champions League final, especially after becoming the only club in Premier League history not to sign a player in the last two transfer windows, the club manager was hopeful the footballing gods would smile upon his team in Madrid on Saturday.
But a moment of folly from Sissoko, who was adjudged to have handled in the box, laid waste to his tactical preparations, allowing Liverpool to keep his players in check, with Mohamed Salah converting the spot kick.
Jurgen Klopp's team were far from their free-flowing best, the Reds never really had to get out of second gear as the early goal enabled them to shut up shop, again proving why they had the best defensive record in England this term.
Although Spurs offered more of a threat after the break, they were reduced to speculative strikes from long range and their first shot on target came only in the 74th minute.
Alisson was also a safe pair of hands in goal, comfortably dealing with subsequent shots from Son Heung-min, Christian Eriksen and substitute Lucas Moura.
After the 2-0 defeat - substitute Divock Origi added a second late on - Pochettino insisted he was "so proud of my players" as they "were unlucky" before defending his decision to start Harry Kane and Harry Winks, who were quiet on the night, with the pair missing the league run-in through injury.
He said: "Finals are about winning, not about playing well - it's not tactics. To start 1-0 down from the start was tough, we changed our plans. That was the circumstance we cannot manage or prepare for. You can never believe you will be 1-0 down after a minute.
"To concede a penalty after 20 seconds has a massive impact. It's so painful, but we need to keep going. Of course, it's going to be tough but, after a few hours, we need to change our minds and be positive.
"My decisions were all about analytics and thinking, and all of the information."
While the decision to award the penalty looked slightly harsh, with the ball appearing to hit Sissoko first on the chest before striking his upper arm, it was the correct one.
Uefa's chief refereeing officer Robert Rossetti had told the Times of London in January that with the implementation of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology in the Champions League this season, officials "would penalise any unnatural arm movement that makes contact with the ball".
That was why referee Damir Skomina had no hesitation to point to the spot as Sissoko already had his arm up when Sadio Mane crossed the ball - and a quick referral to the VAR corroborated the call.
Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand also blasted the France midfielder for "making the decision easy".
The pundit told BT Sport: "When it's up in the air in the penalty area, you're asking for trouble. I don't know why his hand is up there - whom is he talking to?"
Pochettino will now have to contend with a summer of speculation over his future, but the Argentinian, who has been linked with a move to Juventus or Bayern Munich, suggested he may stay in north London to try to guide Spurs to another European final.
The 47-year-old, who has yet to lift silverware as a coach, told BT Sport: "When you live this experience, you want to do it again. I hope we can do it again in the future.
"It's about trying, it's about believing, it's about building, and I hope it happens again as soon as possible."
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS
Klopp pointed to City's financial power, backed by the club's Abu Dhabi owners, as a principal reason why they will not be easy to overhaul. However, unlike Manchester United, who ended the season as close to the relegation zone as they were to City, 32 points behind the champions in sixth, City have invested their money wisely.
Football: Depay fires Dutch past Belarus in Euro 2020 qualifying opener ROTTERDAM, NETHERLANDS (AFP) - Memphis Depay dazzled for the Netherlands with a brace and two assists as they cruised past Belarus 4-0 in their opening Euro 2020 qualifier on Thursday (March 21) despite having to play the final 20 minutes with 10 men.
Depay fires Dutch past Belarus in Euro 2020 qualifying opener
Champions League final: Harry Kane starts for Tottenham against Liverpool as line-ups revealed. The England striker has not played for almost two months with an ankle injury sustained in the
Tottenham's Kane starts Champions League final - espn.com
How does Ascend work in Rivals of Ixalan? This video answers that rhetorical question. source. Villans ascend into EPL heaven; Kuwait - IBL Tigers, NUSANTARA
epl - Yahoo Search Results
Liverpool opened up a seven-point gap at the top of the Premier League with a 1-0 win at Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday, while Arsenal's poor away form continued with a 1-0 defeat at West
Football: Liverpool extend lead at top, Arsenal slip up at
Tottenham have announced plans to travel to Singapore and Shanghai as part of their preseason tour in July ahead of the 2019-20 season. Further details regarding opposition and venues have yet to
Tottenham Hotspur to visit Singapore and Shanghai for pre
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - London Football Awards 2019 - Battersea Evolution, London, Britain - February 28, 2019.Tottenham's Son Heung-min speaks after winning the London Football Awards Premier L
Son contemplated Tottenham exit until discussion with Pochettino
Son Heung-min has donated £100,000 to the victims of South Korea's worst ever forest fire. The Tottenham star was moved to act after news broke of a blaze in his homeland.
Moment of madness by Son Heung-min sees Tottenham star shown
New-look Germany make promising start with Serbia draw ahead of Euro qualifiers clash against Dutch Description: Germans kept their foot firmly on the gas and wasted several chances in the second half before substitute Leon Goretzka grabbed a deserved equaliser in the 69th minute.
New-look Germany make promising start with Serbia draw
Mr Bill Ng (right) reiterated that it was FAS general secretary Winston Lee not former FAS president Zainudin Nordin, who requested and facilitated the donation for the Asean Football Federation's
Duo in the running to be FAS gen-sec, Latest Singapore
Football: Bayern forward Sandro Wagner moves to China's
watch soccer live stream links
watch usa soccer live stream online
watch soccer am online live streaming
watch live soccer streaming on iphone
watch sky sports premier league live stream
watch soccer games live stream free app
watch soccer online free streaming live batman
watch the champions league live stream
super soccer tv live streaming napoli vs juventus
watch champions league live streaming xfinity
watch premier league live streaming juventus vs manchester united
watch soccer games live stream free
watch live premier league football streaming online for free iraqgoals
watch sky sports premier league online free streaming live
how to watch premier league live streaming
cpl 2018 live streaming watch caribbean premier league t20 2018
watch premier league live streaming jamaica
free watch champions league live streaming
watch soccer am live stream
watch coppa america live streaming english
watch champions league live streaming putlockers
watch champions league final live streaming online
watch premier league live streaming free
watch coppa america live streaming sctv
watch coppa america live streaming eng
watch live soccer game today
watch coppa america live streaming xbox one
watch coppa america live streaming twitch
watch champions league live streaming jamaica
watch premier league live in stream
watch champions league live streaming kenya
watch champions league live streaming canada
watch premier league live streaming live free
watch coppa america live streaming xfinity
watch champions league live streaming bein sport
watch coppa america live streaming app
watch coppa america live streaming nz
watch soccer live football streaming - ronaldo7.net
watch premier league matches live streaming
watch champions league soccer live streaming
watch soccer online free streaming live cricfree
watch premier league live streaming zimbabwe
watch soccer aid live stream
watch coppa america live streaming total sportek
watch coppa america live streaming putlockers
watch live soccer online free streaming now
watch live soccer streaming free android
watch coppa america live streaming espn
watch premier league stream reddit
watch coppa america live streaming canada
watch champions league live streaming bola
live football watch free live football streaming free soccer
watch usa soccer live stream
watch english premier league live streaming hd
watch coppa america live streaming kenya
watch champions league draw live streaming free
watch coppa america live streaming match
watch barclays premier league live streaming online free
watch live streaming soccer online espn3
watch indian premier league live streaming
watch soccer live streaming xbox one
where to watch free live soccer streaming online
watch coppa america live streaming sub eng
watch coppa america live streaming pc
watch live streaming soccer games
watch coppa america live streaming mexico
watch coppa america live streaming hd
watch premier league live streaming zee tv
watch coppa america live streaming video
watch coppa america live streaming online free
watch uefa champions league live streaming youtube
super soccer tv live streaming persib
watch soccer online free streaming live dracula
watch soccer live stream hunter
watch arsenal southampton premier league live stream
watch everton vs tottenham live soccer streaming
watch english premier league live streaming
watch soccer online free streaming live canada
watch soccer live streaming zee tv
watch champions league final online free live streaming
watch champions league live streaming xbox
watch hd soccer live streaming free
watch epl live streaming on iphone
watch coppa america live streaming uk
watch coppa america live streaming portugal
watch champions league live streaming live free
soccer tv live net stream
watch bangladesh premier league live streaming
watch soccer live streaming hd
watch bangladesh premier league live streaming free
watch soccer online free streaming live p2p
watch champions league live streaming xbox one
watch coppa america live streaming game
watch premier league net live stream channel
watch coppa america live streaming cricfree
watch champions league final live streaming
watch champions league live streaming now tv
watch coppa america live streaming bein sport
watch soccer online free streaming live no registration
watch coppa america live streaming zip
watch soccer online free streaming live
watch soccer live streaming mobile
watch soccer game live espn
watch soccer live streaming xfinity
watch live streaming soccer manchester united
watch soccer aid live stream online
watch coppa america live streaming indonesia
watch coppa america live streaming ronaldo 7
watch premier league live streaming qatar
watch coppa america live streaming australia
watch soccer online free streaming live app
watch champions league draw live stream total sportek
watch bangladesh premier league live streaming online free
#MyDubai #golazo #mensnightout #elcasico #championship #livesports #midnight #oasisofficial #bundesliga #Bar #conference #bayervshoffenheim #soccerbible #league2 #sunderlandafc #chocolate #rugby #barcelona #thomasmeunier #cr7 #cristiano #realmadridcf #Sunday #battuteepiche #footballfans #mancity #pagani #frasitrap #kroenkeout #coys #coyg #arsenalfantv #golf #insegreto #transfernews #juventus #firmino #sumbertv #liverpoolfans #champion #myfootballuniverse #manchestercity #arsenalnews #bestshishacafedubai #copaamerica #knuckleball #zidane #crossfit #BMW #watchlive #realmadrid #premierleague #freekick #manchestercity
No comments:
Post a Comment