Hugo Lloris has admitted Tottenham have only got themselves to blame after their VAR nightmare left next week’s trip to Marseille “like a final.”
Tottenham would have clinched qualification to the Champions League knock-out stages with victory over Sporting Lisbon. But Harry Kane’s last gasp effort was ruled out on a VAR decision which resulted in huge controversy and Antonio Conte got himself into trouble as he got sent off and then launched a furious tirade against the officials.
It now leaves Tottenham needing a result from their final Group match in Marseille and their European campaign is still on a knife edge.
Conte will now be banned from the touchline in Marseille and, while he can enter the stadium, he cannot be in the technical area, dressing room or have direct contact with the players.
Tottenham captain Lloris said: “It is going to be like a final. Even if we have a small advantage, because with a draw it will be enough to go through. We need to use our head but also play with your feelings and heart and go with everything, because every detail matters.”
However, rather than blame the video technology and refereeing decisions, Lloris admitted Spurs have to take their share of the disappointment from being held to a draw by Sporting.
Lloris said: “There are two ways to reflect about the game. The one I prefer is to say if we had played the first half in the same way as the second — with the same energy, with the same willingness to go forward, to press the opponent and be very dominant — probably the score would have been different.
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“The other way to reflect on the game is the goal disallowed in the last minute. Everyone can have their own opinion about the decision and the action.
“We don’t want to give up and I liked the response of the team in the second half. The last two games had referee decisions which were not on our side, but we will carry on until the World Cup break.
“Even if we have to suffer, we have to go through and to finish. Like every team, playing every three days you cannot play 90 minutes with intensity, so you miss 20 to 30 minutes in a game.”
Meanwhile, Sporting goalscorer Marcus Edwards has insisted he has “grown up” since leaving Spurs where he graduated through the academy. He gained a reputation for losing his focus and his career path but is rebuilding his future in Portugal.
Edwards, who left Spurs three years ago, added: “I have grown up in a lot of ways, I’m 23 and last time I was at Tottenham, I was only 17, 18, I was only a baby so I have definitely grown up. That is naturally going to happen with age.
“I was just a kid, you know what kids are like. I was just a kid growing up, so I could be like, whatever. I think I would have focused wherever I am regardless, but obviously this was a different type of experience and it has been good for me. But I would love to play in England again and be near my family.”
