Jose Mourinho on what he learned about his players last night in the 4-2 win

As they so often do, Tottenham did it the hard way against Olympiacos in the Champions League last night. The Lilywhites came behind from 2-0 down to win the match 4-2 in North London.

The Greek side took the lead early on, before doubling it inside the first 20-minutes at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

However, despite playing a woeful first half of football, Spurs were given a route back into the match just before halftime when a defensive error led to a Dele Alli tap in.

A Harry Kane brace and a Serge Aurier strike sealed all three points for Tottenham, Mourinho’s second win in as many games at the helm of the club.

This win also ensured that Spurs qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions League yet again this season, the third year in a row they have done this.

Mourinho was asked last night what he learned about his new Spurs players (Football London): “I don’t think I learned. I think we went through some phases where we can make some conclusions. At the start, some of them were really tired. I think to come from the national team and play on Saturday and then Tuesday, I always wish that after the national teams you play on the Sunday and the Wednesday.

“When you do Saturday and Tuesday it’s hard. I think some of them were tired. Then I think the fact of conceding an early goal at home they were not in a moment of great self-esteem where you think ‘okay, 1-0, no problem, we keep playing’. There was a bit of that feeling among the players.

“The fans were fantastic because the reaction was to not put more pressure on them. It was really to support them. Then the way they reacted to the second half, the preparation of the second half, they came from behind, to go with everything and knowing that a draw would give us qualification, because Bayern were winning, we knew that.

“So the draw wouldn’t have been a drama because we’d qualify, but not to accept the draw, to go for more, go for the victory, go in search of not just the qualification, but in search of happiness and self-esteem and confidence and we did that.

“Next game at home I expect the boys to start without ghosts, to start immediately open and confident because the players are very, very good players. So we have to play better than we did in the first half.”

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