Mauricio Pochettino launches attack on Premier League for fixture pile up around Champions League

Mauricio Pochettino has launched a withering attack on the Premier League for failing to support English clubs as they move into the sharp end of European competitions.

Tottenham have the comfort of a 3-0 lead against Borussia Dortmund and can reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League, or its predecessor the European Cup, for only the second time in their history.

Pochettino, however, was in no mood to relax as he arrived in Germany, urging against complacency and slamming a fixture schedule which left him with a 24-hour disadvantage in teams of preparation time for both legs against the Bundesliga leaders.

‘There’s no time,’ fumed the Spurs boss. ‘Dortmund in the first leg had more time to prepare the game and now the same because they played Friday. 

‘We played Saturday and the only way we can prepare is talking – and not talking too much because the players need to rest, and recover after a very tough game.

‘We played a derby against Arsenal and you know what it means to play a derby, not only in the physical condition, but the mental energy you spend, too.

Tottenham have the comfort of a 3-0 aggregate lead against Borussia Dortmund

‘It is impossible in this type of game, the last 16, that one team had 24 hours more than the other to prepare. I think it is massive. 

‘I don’t understand how you can arrive in this situation when both clubs are going to compete for such an important competition like the Champions League.’

Borussia Dortmund played on Friday night at Augsburg and Spurs played on Saturday lunchtime against Arsenal. Ahead of the first leg, a Wednesday tie, the Germans played on Saturday and Pochettino’s team faced Leicester at Wembley on Sunday.

He also pointed out that Rennes were allowed to rearrange their league game to help preparation for a Europa League tie against Arsenal on Thursday.

Spurs can book their place in the quarter final stage by standing firm in Germany

‘I think we need help from the FA and the Premier League,’ he added. ‘In Europe the FAs are more sensitive to helping the clubs compete in the best way in Europe. I am not going to blame someone. Maybe we need to blame ourselves because we have struggled to deal with this type of thing.

‘Of course, we are going to fight and give our best. But it is not fair to our players to compete with a massive disadvantage. 

‘They will run the same or maybe more than Dortmund. That is not fair and it is a problem that in the future we need to change if we want to help the English clubs be stronger in this competition.’