We were taught a ‘lesson’ by Inter says AVB
Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas believes that his side were taught “a real lesson” in their Europa League last-16 second-leg clash with Inter Milan.
Spurs lost 4-1 after extra time on the night, but advanced thanks to the away goals rule.
Antonio Cassano struck twice, either side of a Rodrigo Palacio effort, to level the aggregate score after 90 minutes, but Emmanuel Adebayor scored the vital away goal.
Ricardo Alvarez set up a tense finish, but the Londoners held firm to book their spot in the quarter-finals.
AVB was happy to see his side advance and believes that they have learnt much about European football throughout the tie:
“Tonight we suffered what Inter did in London. When the mind isn’t working, everything becomes a catastrophe,” he told Sky Sports Italia.
“I think every time Inter scored, they felt stronger and it was like a knife wound for us. We really struggled a lot.
“The players did brilliantly to go through. I could not be afraid, because I felt the team was going towards its objective.
“However, this was a real lesson for us and we must learn from it if we are to become great in Europe.”
Gareth Bale was unavailable the game at the San Siro through suspension, after picking up a yellow card in the first-leg.
Villas-Boas believes that Spurs missed their talisman, but also confessed that Inter were in the same position last week:
“Bale is an important and decisive players, so yes he was missed, just as Rodrigo Palacio was missed by Inter in the first half at White Hart Lane.”
March 15th, 2013
A lesson for AVB also. Wrong team, wrong tactics, wrong attitude. When will he recognise our weakness and act on it. Walker cannot defend and is a liability. Parker must be told to stay behind the ball and let Dembele to the runs forward. Galles should be used off the bench. Asso-Akoto and Dawson should always start when available. Strikers! We have none picking two is like playing with 9 men. Bale is our only striker now, s owe might as well blood Harry Kane. (He cannot perform worse) Now we go to Fulham with a tired team who have just let in 7 goals in two matches. A long way to go to reach top four.