Lucas Moura’s relationship with Mauricio Pochettino was ‘worn out’ after his Champions League final snub… so he welcomed Jose Mourinho’s arrival at Tottenham
- Lucas Moura played a starring role in Spurs’ run to the Champions League final
- However, Mauricio Pochettino’s choice to drop him in Madrid was the last straw
- According to reports, Moura is elated with the appointment of Jose Mourinho
- Mourinho is an admirer of the Brazilian and tried to sign him with Real Madrid
Lucas Moura has welcomed the arrival of Jose Mourinho at Spurs after the Brazilian became ‘worn out’ with outgoing boss Mauricio Pochettino, according to reports.
The 27-year-old has been in and out of Spurs’ starting XI since sealing a £25million switch from Paris Saint Germain in January 2018, with Pochettino using the attacker fleetingly in favour of Heung Min-Son and Harry Kane.
Owing to Kane’s absence through injury, Moura played a starring role in the north London side’s route to last season’s Champions League final, scoring the decisive goal to earn his side victory over Ajax in the semi final.
Lucas Moura’s bond with Mauricio Pochettino was ‘worn out’ after Champions League snub
The Brazilian was the semi final hero as he scored the decisive goal to help Spurs advance
However, Pochettino’s decision to relegate Moura to the bench for the final in Madrid appeared to be the end of the Argentine’s working relationship with his South American forward, who is said to have been ‘worn out’ with the outgoing boss.
‘He didn’t talk to me, didn’t explain anything, but it’s normal,’ Moura recently told The Guardian of the Champions League snub.
‘He chose and I need to respect. I needed to be ready to come in and play. To be honest, at the hotel when he gave the initial eleven, I was a little sad.
The attacker believed he should have been given a chance to start in the final in Madrid
However, Pochettino chose to play Harry Kane, leaving Moura on the bench as Liverpool won
‘Of course, I would like to play, but the most important thing was to win the game. The coach needs to choose 11 players, he can choose only eleven players and we need to respect.’
And, according to UOL Esporte, Moura has welcomed the arrival of Mourinho as a chance to stake his claim in the first team. The former Chelsea and Manchester United manager has long been an admirer of Moura, having looked to sign the attacker while he was in charge of Real Madrid, as well as prior to Moura joining Spurs.
Madrid president Florentino Perez opted to veto the move for Moura, while Old Trafford chiefs were considering a move to match PSG’s €30million valuation of the attacker in 2017, but now Mourinho finally gets his chance to work with the Brazilian.
Moura has scored twice and provided a solitary assist in 13 games so far this season, and will be hoping the new boss can help reinvigorate his career in north London.
Moura has welcomed new boss Jose Mourinho, who has been an admirer of the striker