Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino used an unusual cow analogy to discuss experience ahead of his team s Champions League clash with Inter.
Coming off back-to-back losses in the Premier League, Spurs head to San Siro on Tuesday to begin their European campaign.
Spurs have gained some Champions League experience in the past two seasons, a group-stage exit in 2016-17 followed by a last-16 loss last campaign.
But, using an unusual analogy, Pochettino said that experience would only count if his players made the most of it.
Look, experience is experience but you need to apply the experience, plus the hunger, plus your own motivation, he told a news conference.
If you re not clever, experience on its own is not going to help you in the future.
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Market: Reading win
Odds: 19/20 @
Desperate to extend their buffer over the drop zone on Tuesday night, Reading will welcome Port Vale to the Madejski.
Starting with the hosts, eventually falling to a 4-1 drumming at the hands of promotion contenders Portsmouth over the weekend, Reading are certainly seeking an immediate response here. However, while the Royals might be dealing with a string of issues behind the scenes in Berkshire, Ruben Selles’ men have skyrocketed their way out of the drop zone and should be smelling a golden opportunity here. Losing just one of their previous seven appearances across all competitions over the past month, Reading should also be excited by their extended success on home soil. Last seen at the Madejski claim a deserved 2-0 vi…
Russian newspaper that Zenit are considering a January bid for Udinese midfielder Alexander Merkel.
Luciano Spalletti knows the player well from Italian Serie A and he believes the German would be a good addition to the squad at Stadion Petrovskij.
The Italian coach is hoping to add some fresh blood to his ageing midfield and is convinced Merkel can make the grade in Russian Premier League.
Alexander Merkel had been showing a great deal of promise while at San Siro, having made 6 Serie A starts during the 2010/2011 season with AC Milan.
However, he has since struggled for playing time at Genoa and Udinese, and hasn t even made a single league appearance for the Zebrette this term.
With the 21-year-old clearly not in Francesco Guidolin s first te…
Three Ligue 1 sides are keeping close tabs on Ajax goalkeeper Andre Onana, .
The 21-year-old has largely impressed since joining the Amsterdammers from Barcelona in January 2015, enjoying a great debut season in Dutch Eredivisie.
Onana managed to keep impressive 14 clean sheets in 29 top flight appearances for Ajax and his excellent showings did not go unnoticed.
Free-spending Marseille are believed to be one of the favourites for his signature as OM sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta knows the youngster well from his time at Camp Nou.
Barcelona’s decision to allow Onaja to join Ajax was one of the reasons why Zubizarreta left the Catalans in the first place and he now hopes to get reunited with the Cameroonian footballer.
It is no secret tha…
Nicolo Barella scored a wonderful winner with seven minutes left as Inter came from behind to defeat Hellas Verona 2-1 and move top of Serie A.
Valerio Verre scored a 19th-minute penalty, his first Verona goal, to give the visitors a surprise lead at San Siro.
Inter piled on the pressure but could not find a breakthrough until Matias Vecino headed in to score for the second straight game with 25 minutes remaining.
And just as it looked like Verona would come away with a point, Barella produced a moment of magic.
The victory moved Inter two points clear of champions Juventus, who will attempt to respond when they host AC Milan in their game in hand on Sunday.
FULL-TIME
Great tenacity to come back and get the win!
That Nicolò Barell…
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp insisted he saw nothing wrong with Darwin Nunez’s controversial stoppage-time winner at Nottingham Forest.
Nunez marked his return from injury by heading home in the ninth minute of time added on to seal a 1-0 win, which lifted his side four points clear at the top of the Premier League.
But the Uruguay international’s last-gasp effort left Forest’s players, staff and fans furious at the final whistle after referee Paul Tierney had stopped play before the build-up to Liverpool’s winner for an apparent head injury to Ibrahima Konate.
Tierney blew with Forest in possession on the edge of Liverpool’s area and after Konate had quickly recovered, the official dropped the ball to visiting goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher, who then star…
Argentina international striker Sergio Aguero has insisted he will stay at Manchester City this summer despite ongoing speculation linking him with Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid.
Aguero, 26, joined Manchester City from Atlético Madrid for a fee believed to be in the region of €45 million, in the summer of 2011 and has since established himself as one of the best strikers in the English Premier League.
The 26-year-old hitman enjoyed yet another prolific goal-scoring campaign in 2013/14, with recent reports suggesting he could leave the Etihad Stadium for the Bernabéu or Camp Nou.
However, Aguero has moved to rubbish such reports, claiming he will stay in Manchester.
There s lots of talk about Real Madrid and Barcelona. It s …
Manchester United playmaker Juan Mata insists he has never had a bad relationship with manager Jose Mourinho.
There was speculation the Spain international could be forced out of Old Trafford when Mourinho took over from Louis van Gaal last year, given that he sold Mata to United as Chelsea boss in 2014.
Mata was even substituted just half an hour after coming on in the Community Shield last August, but the 29-year-old has since established himself as a key part of Mourinho s plans.
The former Valencia man says he left Chelsea simply because he did not fit the preferred system at Stamford Bridge, with Mourinho favouring Oscar in the number 10 position, but he denies there has been any notable change in their relationship.
Asked why he suits Mourinho s Uni…
Market: Huddersfield Town win
Odds: 7/5 @
Looking to extend on what has been a recent purple patch in midweek, Huddersfield will welcome Birmingham to the John Smith s Stadium on Wednesday night.
Starting with the hosts, while Huddersfield might have spent the whole of last season battling it out at the foot of the table, the Terriers have opened the 2021/22 campaign with a real flurry. Making their return from October s international break with another eye-catching display on home soil, Carlos Corberán s men picked up a deserved 2-0 win against Hull. Opening the midweek fixtures sat in the play-off spots and cementing their spot as a real surprise package so far, the one-time Leeds coach will find the mood in his camp at a real high. Appearing to have really …
Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola wants to improve his side s poor recent performances in the Copa del Rey by securing a spot in the final on Wednesday.
After scoring a 5-0 rout in the first leg clash with Almeria, Barcelona are a near certainty to progress to the final when they travel to the Estadio de los Juegos Mediterraneos.
Guardiola is keen for a repeat of the 2008/09 season, when his side scored its first cup triumph in 11 years.
Tomorrow is a good time to reach the Copa del Rey final, which we have only done once in three years, Guardiola said.
That is the aim, and the opportunity is there. We are all pushing to get to the final. Few players haven t been part of this campaign, so tomorrow we will decide who plays.
The best way to go thr…