Mauricio Pochettino has told Tottenham they must learn from Juventus about exerting more power and influence around the fringes of the game.
Pochettino pointed to ‘pressure on the referee’ and presence in the tunnel of sporting director Beppe Marotta, club chairman Andrea Agnelli and Pavel Nedved, a former player now vice-chairman.
The Spurs boss refused to criticise the Italians but urged his own club to adopt the same habits as they try to compete with Europe’s elite.
Juventus players surround referee Szymon Marciniak during their game with Tottenham
Tottenham were eliminated from the Champions League at the last-16 stage
‘It’s a massive situation that you must learn from,’ said Pochettino. ‘If we only see the stats from the two games, Tottenham was the much better team.
‘Then in football it’s not only about a better performance, stats, shots more on targets, or have more possession.
‘It’s small details. Competitions demand different things. Juventus are specialists, because they have habit to win, the habit to put pressure on the referee.
‘The owner stayed in the tunnel before and during the game.
‘Before game Agnelli, after the game Agnelli and Marotta. I saw at half-time how they put pressure on the referee.
‘I’m not saying that [Spurs chairman] Daniel [Levy] needs to be there only that Juventus was a massive lesson in how to behave.
Mauricio Pochettino was left frustrated as his team were eliminated by Juventus
‘It is a club with a culture to try to do everything to help the team. It is a massive opportunity to learn not only on the pitch but outside.’
Tottenham crashed out of the Champions League on Wednesday. Having drawn 2-2 in Italy, they led Juventus in the second-leg but lost when the game turned on two goals scored in three minutes in the second half.
‘It’s two games against this type of club,’ said Pochettino. ‘One on the pitch, one is outside of the pitch.
‘When players like [Gigi] Buffon, [Giorgio] Chiellini, with experience every season in Champions League, two finals in the last three seasons, of course, it’s a plus.
‘In different moments during the game, they can use that. For us, it was fantastic. It’s not because of that that we lost.
‘It’s a massive lesson for us to care not only on the pitch, but off the pitch. When you’re going to win, you need help from everyone.
‘It’s about small details that count a lot in this type of game, even games that both teams can win. I believe those details can help the club to achieve what we want.’