Moussa Sissoko did not know Tottenham had beaten Manchester City he was told in the dressing room that Raheem Sterling’s last-gasp goal was disallowed
- Moussa Sissoko was substituted in the first half against Manchester City
- After Raheem Sterling scored an apparent winner, he headed down the tunnel
- The Frenchman was unaware that VAR had overturned the goal due to offside
- A coach found him in the dressing room and he returned to the field to celebrate
Moussa Sissoko did not realise Tottenham had advanced to the Champions League semi-finals until a member of the coaching staff informed him in the dressing room that Manchester City’s last-gasp goal had been disallowed.
With City leading 4-3 and the aggregate score reading 4-4 in favour of Tottenham on away goals, Raheem Sterling’s stoppage-time goal sparked wild celebrations at the Etihad Stadium before it was overruled when VAR adjudged Sergio Aguero offside in the build-up.
Sissoko, who was replaced in the first half after he picked up an injury, was so distraught after Sterling scored that he immediately walked down the tunnel to the dressing room and did not realise that the goal had been disallowed a minute later.
Moussa Sissoko disappeared down the tunnel after Raheem Sterling scored a late winner
VAR overruled the decision but substituted Sissoko was unaware until a coach found him
‘I was on the bench when I saw the goal that made it 5-3,’ Sissoko told French sports newspaper L’Equipe.
‘I was so upset that I returned directly to the dressing room.
‘I was alone, no one had accompanied me, no TV screen was broadcasting the game. In my head we were eliminated.
‘Then one of the staff members entered the dressing room and told me: “Incredible, we did it!”.
‘I said: “How did we do it?” At that moment, he told me that the goal had been disallowed.
‘So I put on a t-shirt, I forgot about my injury and I ran outside to join the others, not to miss the celebrations for such a historic moment.
‘It was an incredible, emotional shock.’
Mauricio Pochettino celebrates at full-time after Tottenham secured their sensational win
Raheem Sterling’s late goal was chalked off as Sergio Aguero was offside in the build-up
Sissoko had gone to the dressing room but returned to the field to celebrate despite his injury
The result ensured Tottenham, who last made the European Cup semi-finals in 1962, reached the last four for the first time since the creation of the Champions League.
They will face Dutch side Ajax Amsterdam, who managed to beat Juventus 3-2 on aggregate on Tuesday.
The first leg of the tie will take placed in London on April 30.