One of the more heartbreaking losses in recent years for Tottenham Hotspur was the 2019 UEFA Champions League final.
Former Spurs defender Kieran Trippier has admitted that the Tottenham dressing room was “confident” heading into the matchup against Liverpool during an interview with “True Geordie Podcast.”
During that Champions League season, Tottenham qualified from the “group of death,” which consisted of FC Barcelona, Inter Milan, and PSV Eindhoven.
“We thought we were winning [the final]. I’m not going to lie; we thought we were winning,” Trippier said.
Spurs eliminated Manchester City in the quarterfinals, then ended the Ajax fairytale story in the semi-finals with a hat-trick from Lucas Moura. The way those two matchups played out gave the north London confidence that they could cap it off with a win over Liverpool FC, Trippier said.
“The way the City game went, the Ajax game went, we thought…we felt confident. And then two minutes into the game or whatever it was, they get a penalty, and I think that just killed the game,” Trippier said.
“But even in the game – ok, it wasn’t the prettiest of games, Champions League final you’re expecting fireworks, it weren’t the best to watch – but I thought there were moments where we were on top of them. And then obviously [Divock] Origi comes on and bags that second goal, and it’s finished, the game is done.”
Tottenham ended up losing the Champions League final 2-0 in Madrid to The Reds. For some, Spurs have yet to recover from that defeat as Mauricio Pochettino would be sacked months later.
Spurs would go through some coaching changes now landing with Antonio Conte. Should he remain past this season, the Italian tactician is now tasked with getting Spurs back to those heights.
it was 27 secs Kieran and you had already left a gaping hole at right back which sissoko wandered into and we know how that went
Over confidence didn’t help, Kane playing when not match fit, Sissoko being Sissoko and a Liverpool who were motivated by a loss in a Champions League Final.