Mauricio Pochettino cries as Spurs complete incredible Champions League comeback against Ajax
- Spurs manager breaks down in tears after Lucas Moura’s 96th-minute winner sinks Ajax in Champions League semi-final
- Emotional Pochettino says ‘without football it is impossible to live’
Mauricio Pochettino broke down in tears on the pitch after Tottenham’s 96th-minute winner against Ajax took them into the Champions League final.
Spurs had trailed 1-0 from the first leg in London and looked down and out going into half-time when 19-year-old Ajax captain Matthijs de Ligt and forward Hakim Ziyech made it 2-0 on the night in Amsterdam and 3-0 on aggregate.
But Lucas Moura scored two quick goals in the second half to give Spurs hope, and the Brazilian completed his hat-trick in the final seconds of the match to set up a clash against Liverpool in Madrid on June 1.
Tottenham are the first Champions League final debutantes since London rivals Chelsea made it to Moscow in 2008 – and Pochettino was overcome with emotion.
It was understandable given the occasion, and the Argentine manager also cried on camera in a touching post-match television interview.
“Thank you football. Thank you my players, they are heroes,” Pochettino told BT Sport. “Without football it is impossible to live.