Here's every single word the Tottenham Hotspurs head coach said after the positive performance against Atletico Madrid on
Igor Tudor held his press conference after Tottenham beat Atletico Madrid 3-2 on Wednesday evening but went out of the Champions League with a 7-5 aggregate scoreline in their last 16.
Spurs took the game to the visitors from the off and scored half an hour in. Mathys Tel picked out his compatriot Randal Kolo Muani with a pinpoint cross from the right and the striker headed into the bottom left corner of the goal.
Atletico then found the net though two minutes into the second half with a goal that angered Tudor. Xavi Simons was knocked over as he went to shoot at one end and Atletico broke up the pitch and Julian Alvarez powered an effort into the top left corner.
Just five minutes later and Spurs struck again. Terrific work from Archie Gray saw the 20-year-old midfielder win the ball back, play a one-two with Pape Matar Sarr, and then knock it inside for the Dutchman to curl home a low effort. Atletico found another goal though when David Hancko got in front of Sarr from a corner to nod in a header.
Spurs got a late penalty when Xavi was tripped in the box and he fired in the penalty off the inside of the left-hand post. Spurs went out of Europe but off to a standing ovation from the crowd for another promising display under Igor Tudor.
Our Tottenham correspondent Alasdair Gold was among those putting the questions to Tudor after the game. Here's the full transcript from the press conference.
I know Spurs are out, but were you very happy with that performance as the fans have gone home very happy tonight?
It's nice, the sensation and feeling are mixed, of course. We are out, but as you said, it was a sensation of one very good team on the pitch, one very good performance of the players, the energy, as you said before, was very nice. From the first moment, the fans recognised that the team will try to do everything they can do, so from the first moment until the last moment, they were with us, it was beautiful. Thanks.
Archie Gray, what a performance, what did you make of him?
I agree, I agree. He's a guy, you know the positions he plays everywhere, so probably this position in the middle is, I believe, the best one for him. But he's playing continually in the right way, in a good way. It's a mix of quality, physically and mentally, to always make the right choices and be humble and have legs to do so. He needs to continue this, he's still young, so every day he needs a new confirmation [of what he can do].
Together with Pape, I see them very well, there's a quality between these two players. The last two games, they really made a difference. But also, I think Xavi was very good, happy for him, showed the talent, it was not easy to play there in the middle, where it's always difficult, in the front, Mathys also, did good things. Kolo as well, behind, so it was a sensation that even we can make it, when it was a foul on Xavi, the referee didn't give us the foul, that little bit changed the game. But as I said before, we take a good direction as a team and we need to continue.
The team had great attacking movement, created a lot of chances and looks like it knows how to score goals again, what's clicked?
You've got to work, you work, you work, you work, and then there is a game that shows what you work for. The players, what was the key, they believed that we can get through, so they really believed that was the key, after 1-0 more.
Unfortunately, what happened in the [first Atletico] goal, OK, as I said before, the performance in this moment where we are, it's very important that it happens, this kind of performance, three days after Liverpool.
How important was that first Atletico first goal and the not given foul on Xavi?
Yes, but for me it was key, it was obviously a foul. OK, this is how it is.
It was obviously a difficult first few results for you, but you worked a lot with the team. Do you think you're starting to see the fruits of your labour now?
Of course the last two games we improved. But as I said the two games before, it's impossible to judge these two games, because what happened in the first 20 minutes against [Atletico] Madrid, there is nothing about the coach, team, tactics, training. There is nothing about it.
I believe Crystal Palace, the game before, we had 1-0 and total control of the game. Red card so as well, nothing about it. But in football you need confirmation every day, every day, every day, every Sunday.
There is on Sunday an important game as we know but it will not decide nothing yet. As I said before, it will be decided everything in the last two or three games I believe.
Tottenham won't be in Europe next year but with the player and quality in the squad do you have confidence that it won't be long until they are back?
No, why should it be? Next year, no. The year after that, can go again. Why not? Winning this trophy last season gave confidence to the players, for sure. Because as you know, it's totally different if you have this experience in European competition, with a lot of players who win that, so this gives you more confidence when you play European competition games.
So we saw this even today. When you are the [Europa League] winner and you come to play today, you feel strong. So they show this in the pitch from the first moment.
After seeing today, there is even more questions about the first game. If it didn't happen, what happened, I believe we have a good chance to pass against Atletico Madrid. Even I need to repeat that today we have again 11 players and on the bench just one player. One player is Danso. All three players - Bergvall, Udogie and Conor - doctors say they can play at least maximum 20 minutes, 25 minutes. So you have only Danso as a substitute. You play with 11 plus Danso in this kind of a game, and I don't count these two young players.
So imagine the situation, imagine the value of this victory here. You need to make a proclamation of substitutes, what happens if someone is out, how we can deal with Bergvall and Conor. So it's a really particular moment, but you know how it is here in Tottenham, better than me with this kind of injuries. The value of this performance is even bigger because of these things."
How important was it for the team to feel this winning feeling again?
Yeah, I agree, I agree it was important. That's why I was angry about the counter attack in the last minute. We go with nine [players in attack], I got a little bit angry there. Because in the last minute at least you wanted to take this [win], but I understand the players wanted to score a goal.
It was nice in the end to at least take the victory. What you said, it's important also for the morale.
You seem to have landed on a 4-4-2 system that suits the players?
We will see, we will see. It's more other things. The system of course, but especially in this moment, the system is a mentality.
