Pochettino's Spurs can replicate Atletico Madrid's Champions League impact

The Tottenham boss will be looking to follow in the footsteps of his former international teammate, Diego Simeone.

Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino

With Tottenham Hotspur about to return to the Champions League, there is reason to believe the club have a playing style and philosophy that could make them one of the tournament’s surprise packages.

The competition kicks of on Tuesday night, but for Spurs fans it won’t really get going until Wednesday evening, when all eyes will turn to Wembley and Spurs will break the British attendance record for home Champions League matches.

But as their European competition kicks off, manager Mauricio Pochettino may just look to his good friend and former international colleague Diego Simeone, whose Atletico Madrid side are an example for all to follow in the Champions League, but arguably none more than Spurs.

Pochettino and Simeone battle for Argentina

Both Pochettino and Simeone are products from a similar age of Argentinian football, featuring in the late 1990s and early 2000s, when Marcelo Bielsa was a hugely influential national team manager.

Arguably the Tottenham boss is more the product of Bielsa’s approach, a coach who emphasised an intense style and pressing tactics, having also played under him at club level as well as for the national team.

But one only has to look at how Simeone’s Atletico team has taken La Liga and Europe by storm over the last few seasons – the capital club have been in two of the last three Champions League finals – to see that it is a tactic he has also adopted and put into practice, impressing alongside a rapid counter attack.

Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone

Atletico have paved the way for ambitious teams to frustrate and surprise the best in Europe, and in the latter stages of the competition no less. Pochettino’s Tottenham side, a more attacking and possession based pressing side, has what it takes to beat any team in the UK on their day, but they are yet to put a full strength side out against top European teams.

However, with their quality on the ball, paired with a defensive resilience and outstanding press that can catch opponents out, Pochettino should be optimistic about eclipsing the club’s trip to the Champions League quarter finals in 2011, following Atletico as a side to put the cat amongst the pigeons.

Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino shakes hands with Jan Vertonghen