Tottenham Hotspur take on Marine in the FA Cup this weekend and Jose Mourinho has promised the Merseyside fans a strong Lilywhite team.
The Special One has a reputation for taking the domestic cup competitions seriously in England and it looks as though this season will be no different.
The Spurs head coach claimed in his press conference this afternoon that the people at Marine would likely want to play against Tottenham’s first-team stars, rather than an U23 side.
It certainly seems as if the Portuguese tactician isn’t going to disappoint either, with Mourinho adding that he wants to show them the respect of a strong Spurs XI.
Tottenham already qualified for one domestic cup final this week thanks to a Carabao Cup victory over Brentford, but Mourinho won’t want to stop there.
Despite there being no fans allowed in the actual stadium, it is destined to be a special day for Marine on Sunday when Tottenham Hotspur come to town.
Mourinho said (Football London): “The message is basically what I said, I don’t think they want to play against Tottenham U23s, they want to play against the guys they are used to watching, admiring, used to following and we want to give them that.
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“Myself and my staff the respect is the way we are preparing the game and the same way we’re trying to know their striker, their centre-back, keeper, their tactical organisation, it’s the same we do with other opponents, of course of a different level and basically it’s that.
“I think the same way they feel happy to play against us I want my guys, I feel that. I feel very happy to play them and very happy it’s in Crosby and not at home.
“I feel very happy to play them and I understand the dream. It’s up to us to bring them back to reality but I clearly understand the dream.
“Nobody puts a foot on the football pitch knowing or feeling that we are going to lose so I believe that in this moment they feel like they are going to win and it’s up to us to bring them back to reality.
“We are top professionals, we are a different level and we are going to win. It is up to us to make them understand that as soon as possible but in this moment they have this dream.”
On the pitch at Marine, Mourinho added: “No, we don’t know the pitch really.
“What we know is from some footage and some images. Of course, it’s not as wide or long as we’re used to. Probably the quality will not be the same that we’re used to but that’s the FA Cup.
“Hopefully, it has positive conditions of football to be played without any risk to the players because in the end, we want to play, we want to play with a good team and hopefully they give use these conditions.
“I honestly believe that they want to play against a Tottenham first team. I don’t think they will be happy if Tottenham go there with a team that is not a strong Tottenham side. So we want to give them that respect by going there with a team that is a very good team.”
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