Tottenham Hotspur defender Pedro Porro has put the club’s woeful situation down to the injury crisis ahead of the Champions League clash against Atletico Madrid.
Spurs are gearing up for a mouth-watering continental clash against Los Colchenors in their Champions League round of 16 first leg showdown at Riyadh Air Metropolitano.
Despite facing the threat of relegation from the Premier League, Tottenham have been a different proposition in the Champions League.
The North Londoners secured automatic qualification to the knockout round after finishing fourth in the League Phase. They won five of their eight games (D2, L1), with a solitary defeat coming against reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain.
Tottenham will now be looking to go one step further in the competition, and Porro believes they have what it takes to continue their Champions League adventure.
Porro calls on his teammates to give 100% ahead of crunch clash
When put on the spot about Tottenham’s situation, Porro revealed that the club’s injury crisis is the primary reason for their Premier League slump.
However, he has called on his teammates to maintain a positive mindset and give 100% as they prepare to face Atletico in the Spanish capital.
“It’s difficult, because when you’re competing in four competitions under these circumstances,” Porro said (via MARCA).
“We already had that bad experience last year in the Premier League with so many injured players, and you just can’t compete.
“We have young players coming on strong, and looking at this season, it’s basically the same.
“We could field a starting eleven of injured players that might even be stronger than the eleven that’s currently playing. And it’s not out of disrespect to anyone, but that’s basically the reality.
“We have to think and maintain a positive mindset. I’ve told my teammates, it’s difficult to compete like this, but we always have to give 100%, even though things aren’t going well in the Premier League.
“We’re going to approach the tie with the same ambition we’ve shown so far in the Champions League.”