Mauricio Pochettino has jumped to the defence of Hugo Lloris after the Tottenham goalkeeper’s red card in Wednesday’s 2-2 draw with PSV.
Spurs now find themselves in an unenviable position to qualify for the knockout rounds of the Champions League having taken just one point from three group stage games.
The Londoners comfortably led in Eindhoven until ten minutes from time when Lloris’ red card – given after the Frenchman rushed out and produced a late challenge – handed the impetus to PSV, who managed to snatch a late equaliser.
But Pochettino thinks it would be too easy to blame his captain.
“It’s so easy to look for someone to blame like the referee or Hugo,” said the Tottenham boss (via the London Evening Standard).
“In my opinion it wasn’t a red card, but I don’t blame the referee.
“[Lloris] doesn’t need to apologise. Football is about making mistakes. It was an action in football that happens often and of course sometimes that happens.”
After Toby Alderweireld’s mistake that led to Hirving Lozano’s opener, Lucas Moura and Harry Kane turned things around for Spurs either side of half time.
But Tottenham couldn’t hold onto their lead, and Pochettino has admitted his side don’t deserve to go through to the knockout rounds.
He said: “It wasn’t enough today. If you don’t win this type of game it’s so difficult to deserve to qualify in the Champions League.
“We dominated the game but need to be so aggressive and score more goals. It’s not so difficult to judge or analyse the game.
“That is the reality on the pitch.”
Spurs will be relying on other results going their way if they are to get through the group stages.
