Juan Foyth might have a point to prove in the Champions League.
Tottenham Hotspur boss Mauricio Pochettino spoke on Friday about the pain he inflicted on himself and Juan Foyth by omitting him from the Champions League squad.
Pochettino excluded Foyth from the squad for last season’s knockout phase, selecting then-new signing Lucas Moura instead.
The Spurs manager, who also omitted him for the group stages this season, told Football London on Friday: “It was so painful for him to be out of the list when he was available to play. That is the worst thing. For me, it is the most painful situation. We cannot afford to do the same [again].”
He confirmed that Foyth would be part of the squad this time around, with Tottenham facing Borussia Dortmund in the last 16.
And if he plays any role at all then he must use those back-to-back disappointments as motivation to prove his compatriot wrong.
It has been an interesting season for the 21-year-old, who joined the Lilywhites for £8 million in the summer of 2017 [Daily Mail].
There have been plenty of good performances, but by the same token there have also been some very poor, error-laden displays and he must be at his absolute best if he plays a role in Europe this season.
At the moment it’s unlikely that he will, with Jan Vertonghen, Toby Alderweireld and Davinson Sanchez all fit, but neither of those three are strangers to injury and Foyth could very well end up having a part to play against Dortmund and potentially beyond that.
The heartbreak of being snubbed twice must inspire him to make a big statement, inspire him to be utterly flawless. Anything less and Pochettino’s ‘pain’ might be pale in comparison to the hurt of Foyth making a mistake on the biggest stage.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
