Spurs are 'better' than Europa League

LONDON • Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho believes Europa League qualification is the least the club deserve after coming through a difficult campaign, but said the players at his disposal are of Champions League level.

Tottenham were 14th in the Premier League standings when he took charge of the north London club last November, and have climbed up to seventh with two games remaining.

Only champions Liverpool, Manchester City and the in-form Manchester United have recorded more points than Spurs since Mourinho's arrival, despite losing his key players to injuries.

"I think Spurs would be even better than that without all the problems that we had," he said ahead of today's home clash against fourth-placed Leicester City.

"No other team had even similar problems. The fact that we are fourth (in the form table) since my arrival, without (Hugo) Lloris, Harry Kane, (Moussa) Sissoko and Son (Heung-min), is a good reflection of the potential we have.

"The minimum we deserve is to finish in a position that keeps us in European football, a competition that is not our level. We are better than that. We need to win these two matches now."

Victory against Leicester and Crystal Palace on the final day of the season will guarantee Spurs at least a seventh-placed finish as well as a Europa League spot, as long as ninth-placed Arsenal fail to win the FA Cup.

Mourinho, 57, said he is motivating his players to win the final two games with the talk of winning the Europa League next year.

"In quite a funny way I'm telling the players, two more victories to win the Europa League," said the Portuguese, who won the competition with United in 2017.

"I know it's not like that, I know the Europa League is a long competition and has some good teams. Some teams go from Champions League to Europa League in the knockout phase and (that) makes it a really difficult competition.

"It's just a feeling to try to motivate the boys because our level is Champions League. The players played in the Champions League final (last year)."

Jan Vertonghen could be set to play his final home game at the club as he is out of contract at the end of the season and there is no sign of a new deal.

Mourinho said Dele Alli will miss the match with his hamstring injury while the club will again allow Serge Aurier to decide whether he is involved. The rightback played in the 3-1 win at Newcastle on Wednesday just 48 hours after his brother was killed, but he is currently in France with family.

Leicester will be without a few injured first-team players amid their Champions League push for a top-four finish. Manager Brendan Rodgers said James Maddison, Ben Chilwell and Christian Fuchs will be out for the rest of the season.

Rodgers added: "We all sat down at the start of season and said it would be huge challenge for Leicester to get into Europe. To do it in my first season here is a phenomenal achievement."

REUTERS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

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