Thu 22 October 2020, 13:51
Tottenham HotspurOur regular pre-match catch up with Jose Mourinho as we turn our attention to Matchday One of the group stage of the UEFA Europa League and the visit of Austrian Bundesliga side LASK to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this evening (8pm UK).
1 - Team news
First up, as always, the latest on the squad...
Jose: “It’s the same story, Dier and Tanganga out, and everybody fit. The Europa League have given us this opportunity of 12 players on the bench, so, easy for me, everyone is selected, easy for the players, they all feel involved and easy for me to manage the game. Five changes can be made, and we have one replacement per position, so, one right-back, one left-back, everything available on the bench. Players like Gio Lo Celso, for example, coming back from injury, can be involved.”
2 - Sunday...
How had the players reacted to Sunday’s 3-3 draw against West Ham?
Jose: “We speak more about the incredible things we did, than the 10 minutes where the result was decided. We focus on the amazing performance we had, which is what we are doing since the beginning of the season, with the exception of Everton, where we didn’t play well. Apart from that, the team is playing so, so well. Of course, we made mistakes and we were punished. But the team cannot lose confidence, because the team is playing so well.”
3 - LASK, part 1
What does Jose expect from LASK this evening?
Jose: “They beat Dunajska Streda 7-0, they beat Sporting in Lisbon 4-1. Last season, they won their group phase, and they were knocked out by Manchester United in that strange moment of an empty stadium, then the second leg in Germany. Be ready, because it’s going to be difficult.”
4 - LASK, part 2
How do LASK usually line-up?
Jose: “They play with five at the back, like the majority of the teams are doing now, but a very aggressive five at the back. I would say ultra-aggressive. They press very high. They try to stop you playing with a physical game. They have speed in their counter-attack and transition. They are strong at set-pieces, have a very good, competitive mentality, and they are going to fight for the result, for sure.”
5 - The road ahead
Jose has played twice in the UEFA Europa League, and won it both times. What does it take to go all the way in this competition?
Jose: “First of all, in our situation, it takes to win play-off matches, which is very difficult because it’s a one-off match, not even two legs, and we did that. That period was a period of pressure, pressure you don’t feel as much in the group phase because you are speaking about six matches. But, you know, I would say you need 10 points in the group phase. We play on Thursday, a difficult day to play, so we need to be consistent and to go for points. The opponents don’t have that amazing name or prestige that the majority of the teams in the Champions League have, but they have quality, and it’s not going to be easy.”
