‘Those players were a representation of their manager… all heart’: Rio Ferdinand praises Tottenham heroes as he urges Daniel Levy to back Mauricio Pochettino in transfer market
- Tottenham came from 3-0 down on aggregate to beat Ajax on away goals
- Lucas Moura completed second-half hat-trick with crucial 96th minute strike
- Spurs will play Liverpool in their first Champions League final in Madrid on June 1
Rio Ferdinand paid tribute to Tottenham’s European heroes on Wednesday night after they came from behind to beat Ajax and reach the Champions League final.
Lucas Moura scored a second-half hat-trick, including a 96th minute winner, after Spurs had fallen 3-0 behind on aggregate in Amsterdam.
Moura’s late goal spark jubilant scenes on the pitch as Spurs reached their first European final since 1984 in extraordinary circumstances.
Rio Ferdinand paid tribute to Tottenham’s European heroes on Wednesday night
Ferdinand said the Spurs players were the embodiment of their manager Mauricio Pochettino
An emotional Mauricio Pochettino led the celebrations on the pitch and afterwards Ferdinand called on chairman Daniel Levy to back his manager in the transfer market.
‘‘He can go to Daniel Levy now and say listen the last player I bought was Lucas Moura and look what he’s done tonight,’ he said on BT Sport.
‘Those players were a representation of their manager, all heart. They’ve been fantastic, a great advert for pure football but this game can be cruel.
‘There’ll be times when this situation happens and it’s about how to pick yourself up from here.’
Lucas Moura scored a second-half hat-trick to complete a sensational comeback from Spurs
Moura clutches the match ball as he celebrates with team-mates and staff after the game
Spurs didn’t make a single new signing last summer or during the January transfer window, with the addition of hat-trick Moura in January 2018 their last purchase.
Ferdinand believes Wednesday night’s result can only boost Spurs in their hopes to add new signings in the coming months.
He added: ‘If there were some players sitting in there with some of the results they’ve had and thinking this is falling apart then this could be a catalyst.
‘There’s no better advert for new signings watching this and they’ve got a manager you would want to play for. In the first game Llorente didn’t go and pick on Blind but today he’s been told to.
‘He couldn’t deal with him physically and that’s where the winning goal comes from. I said it before when Dele Alli plays off the front, in terms of timing and runs into the box, he’s up there with the best in the world.’