Antonio Conte has claimed his players should learn from the nervy finish to Wednesday’s game, as they cannot afford to relax and take their eye off the ball until the final whistle, no matter how comfortable a position they are in.
Eintracht Frankfurt took the lead at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium after a mistake by Eric Dier at the back but the home side responded brilliantly, scoring three goals in quick succession to go into half-time with a comfortable lead.
Spurs started on the front foot after the interval and could have added to the scoreline if not for some outstanding saves by Kevin Trapp in the Frankfurt goal.
The result looked to be a foregone conclusion when Tuta was sent off just before the hour mark but the Lilywhites squandered several chances to extend their lead before Eintracht pulled one back from a corner kick in the 87th minute to set up a nervy finish.
Harry Kane then had another chance to put the tie beyond the visitors when Spurs were awarded a penalty in the 92nd minute but the striker uncharacteristically blasted the ball over the bar.
The home side eventually did manage to hold on for the win but Conte insisted that his players thought the game was already won heading into the final few minutes of normal time, and that they almost paid for it.
The Spurs head coach told Football.London: “It is difficult to start from the end of this game because we played a really good game, despite conceding a goal, that we could be much better in this situation.
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“But our reaction was an important reaction and we created many chances to score. We scored three times and Trapp was their best player in the whole game.
“That is the positive aspect from the game. The negative aspect is the final part and it has to be a big lesson for everybody, for me, for the players.
“The game finishes when the referee whistles three times. In the last part of the game, everybody conceded the game ended and for this reason, we made a big mistake.
“We conceded a corner they scored, then we had the opportunity to score the penalty but we missed the penalty. When we missed the penalty honestly, I was a bit scared, because I thought everything can happen.
“We are talking about a really good performance but the final part we have to take a big lesson, everybody.
“Myself and the players, everybody conceded the game ended. Maybe also the stadium and the fans. It was an important win for us, now we are leading the group, everything is in our hands. We have the chance with the next game with a win to go through the next round.”
Conte remarked that it would have been a disaster if Spurs had not managed to get all three points yesterday, and admitted that he was worried in the final few minutes.
He added: “It is very difficult to explain. For sure the lesson has to be that no one has to concede the game and also if you are leading 3-1, you are playing against 10 men and everything seems on the right path, but football is difficult.
“It is difficult, now we are talking with a smile because we won. But imagine if this game finished a draw. That would have been a disaster.
“Honestly, our final part was, nobody was expecting that type of situation. Honestly, I felt the danger.
“I felt the danger and for this reason, I tried to be involved, to shout, to call the players to be focused, to try to protect the result because for us the win was really, really important.
“Now I repeat that everything is in our hands. With a draw, it would have been really difficult and in the next home game, you risk losing after against Marseille. Now with a win everything is in our hands in the next game.”
Spurs Web Opinion
Conte seems to be suggesting that his players were not fully focused when defending the corner kick in the 87th minute. Perhaps, Eric Dier coming off contributed to the lack of organisation and leadership at the back during the final few minutes of the game.
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