Tottenham Hotspur’s preparations for next month’s Champions League Final clash with Liverpool out in Madrid continue and some in the fanbase are already getting antsy given the opportunity the game provides for us and our history.
With the days ticking by slowly, the transfer rumour mill is doing its best to keep us occupied, but I think plenty of fans will be delighted by a recent interview that Davinson Sanchez held.
Quoted by the Express over the weekend, Sanchez was asked about last years final and the injury sustained by Mo Salah after a challenge by Sergio Ramos, and for him, it was simply part and parcel of the game and he had no concerns about doing some ‘crashing’ of his own if manager Mauricio Pochettino selected him from the start of the game.
“Sometimes now, everyone is too focused on playing football. And Sergio has that character you need to play that position. I watch video clips of him, Franco Baresi, Paolo Maldini. Their aggression. After a few years you have to realise that’s important for some defenders. You have to admit, yes you play football, but at the same time you must not forget you are a defender and have to fight. Put your face in where it hurts. Sometimes the striker doesn’t care. You see Roberto Firmino against his guy. Crash. Block. Harry Kane as well. If he has to put his leg in, he will. His injury, against Manchester United, was the same. His ankle was injured because he tried to block. And boom. Against City as well. The strikers are more worried about recovering the ball themselves these days and you have to be ready to fight against them. Sometimes just playing football is not enough. You have to do more. You have to run more. You have to ‘crash’ more. To – I don’t know – cry more. We have to show everyone the right mentality. If we can’t play our football, we have to have another way to do it. You can’t be worried about what people say. If you have to crash, you have to crash. You don’t care. You have to tackle. Football is not composed of just taking the ball, or clearing the ball, properly, without touching the opponent? No. If you clear the ball and the opponent is in the middle of it. I feel sorry for the opponent! Whoever is on the pitch has to do it. It’s a final. A final is about winning. You can’t wait for the opponent to be better than you, or let them start to play their football. We are going to start aggressively. A final is about this. Everyone wants to win the trophy.”
Given Ramos’ antics in the game of football full stop, I’m not sure many will have praise there, but the spirit of what Sanchez says is right, it’s about winning your battles and taking the responsibility.
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