Mourinho laments lack of options post-Leipzig humbling
Jose Mourinho has refused to rule out Tottenham’s chances of overturning the deficit in the second leg against RB Leipzig, according to The Guardian.
Mourinho’s options upfront were severely limited after Son Heung-Min joined Harry Kane on the injury list. Steven Bergwijn, Dele Alli and Lucas Moura toiled away as Spurs struggled to carve open the injury-stricken German backline.
Spurs’ best chances came from set-pieces with Giovani Lo Celso and Erik Lamela both going close with freekicks. The Tottenham boss remained defiant after the final whistle, insisting that his side’s spirit should see them overcome the striker crisis and overcome the deficit in the return leg.
Mourinho believes his side are capable of a comeback and reminded that the score was just 1-0. The Portuguese believes that this gives his side a fighting chance as other teams have overcome such a deficit earlier. He said,
“1-0 is 1-0. It is not 10-0. The result is open. It is as simple as that. We wouldn’t be first team to lose 1-0 at home and to win the tie away. Why shouldn’t we do it?”
Lack of options a concern
The 57-year-old lamented about bringing on a semi-fit Erik Lamela amidst a lack of options. He praised Bergwijn and Lucas for their spirit while stating that he has no other choice but to play them again against Chelsea on Saturday.
“It’s like going to a fight with a gun without bullets”
The Spurs boss also declared his pride in his players who in spite of the burden placed on them to put up a fight. Injuries to key players have limited Mourinho’s options, with the tactician claiming that the situation is hardly likely to improve for the rest of the season.
He also stated that he isn’t sure of who will start up front in the return leg at Leipzig, but said that he knows his team will not go down without a fight.
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Tottenham play Chelsea this Saturday. With both teams separated by just a point, it could turn out to be a pivotal clash in the race for the top four.
