London (AFP)

Champions League finals, he never "lost": José Mourinho found on Tuesday the competition that made his legend with a club, Tottenham, who seeks to write his own, still sounded by his failure in the final season passed.

"I like this competition as much as anyone else in football, it's something everyone dreams of winning", or to win in his case after his two coronations at the head of Porto (2004) and Inter Milan (2010), coach admitted Monday at a press conference before challenging the Olympiakos for his second exit since his appointment Wednesday.

The bet may seem a bit crazy, if not completely crazy at the moment, while Tottenham is only 10th in its championship.

Saturday's performance, with a win in West Ham - the first out of town for the Spurs for the last 10 months - has certainly been encouraging, but the club remains fragile and the yard is still small.

But we think that if the Londoners get to find the flame that inhabited them last year and had allowed them to reverse apparently desperate situations, as against Ajax in the semifinals, a new epic is still possible.

After all, if there is a competition where Mauricio Pochettino has left his successor well settled, it's the Champions League.

Like last year, Tottenham kicked off their European campaign with a 2-2 draw at Olympiakos after leading 2-0, and a historic home defeat against Bayern (7-2).

- A winter where everything can change -

But the Spurs have shown that the C1 is a competition now apart for them by chaining two large victories against the Serbs of the Red Star Belgrade (9-0 cumulative) which puts them in a comfortable situation.

If Tottenham beats Olympiakos - who has lost all three matches since their initial draw - he will be qualified. If he draws and Belgrade, at home, does not beat Bayern, too.

Validating his ticket for the knockout stage on Tuesday would allow the London club to travel without fears to Munich for the final match.

This would especially give Mourinho time to further shape his team's game and maybe even the team with some touch-ups this winter.

The balance of power in the draw of the round of 16 mid-December are often very different from those of mid-February, when it is necessary to dispute the meetings, and the Spurs could be a new illustration of it.

"Give me some time, give me time to put my ideas in place and we will have no trouble playing against any team in Europe", boasted on Monday the Portuguese technician, true to his extreme self-confidence.

Asked about a possible injury to the club his final lost against Liverpool last season, explaining his start to the season failed, he replied with candor tinged with malice: "I do not know because I've never lost. "

"I can imagine that it's not easy at all, but there is the example of Liverpool, who was always very strong and won the Champions League just after losing the final," he said. caught.

The path is all drawn for the Spurs.

© 2019 AFP