Tottenham look to bounce back at CSKA

Mauricio Pochettino has urged his Tottenham players to believe they belong in the Champions League ahead of Tuesday’s trip to CSKA Moscow.

The north Londoners are bottom of Group E, having suffered a shock defeat to Monaco on matchday one, and anything less than three points tomorrow night will leave Spurs with a mountain to climb if they are to avoid an early exit from the competition.

Pochettino’s side failed to perform in their opening game and the Argentine coach is adamant his players must believe they are deserving of a place among the elite if they are to progress.

“You need to put pressure on yourself,” Pochettino insisted. “And it’s important to believe that we belong in the Champions League. We need to win – it’s as simple as that.

“It’s not more pressure because we lost the first game. In football your mentality always has to be to win.”

Spurs will be without Harry Kane when they face Leonid Slutsky’s side – who are second in the Russian Premier League – while Moussa Sissoko is a doubt after suffering a knock to the head in Saturday’s comfortable win at Middlesbrough.

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