Football
Dan Kilpatrick, Tottenham Correspondent 8y

Atletico Madrid 'a good example' - Tottenham's Mauricio Pochettino

MELBOURNE, Australia -- Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino says Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid can be an inspiration to Spurs ahead of their meeting in the International Champions Cup on Friday.

Atletico's budget is far lower than Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid but Simone has won La Liga, the Spanish Cup and reached two Champions League finals, losing both to Real, since his appointment in 2011.

Similarly, Spurs cannot compete financially with the likes of Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City -- all of whom changed managers during the summer -- and face a challenge to top the trio again this season, after finishing third and returning to the Champions League last term.

The Spurs manager, however, believes he can follow his former Argentina teammate's blueprint for success domestically and in Europe.

"If you are comparing Diego with me, thank you. It's big praise," Pochettino told a news conference ahead of the friendly at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

"I consider him one of the best managers in the world. He deserves all the credit because it's difficult to take a team like Atletico Madrid and play finals in the Champions League and win the league in Spain.

"Atletico is a good example -- it's fantastic. To compete against Real Madrid and Barcelona on a different budget is difficult and he deserves full credit for that. I think it's difficult to compare because we are in a different league with different context but it's true it's a good example for different clubs in the world."

Both Simeone and Pochettino have been linked with being the new Argentina boss -- something Pochettino denied on Monday -- and he admitted they could be rivals for the role in the future.

Pochettino said: "He's one of the best. I know him very well and I'm sure in his mind one day he wants to manager Argentina -- like me. But it's not the right moment for us now.

"We had a very good relationship when we played in the national team. We keep this relationship with him and his assistant. It's great we'll see them tomorrow."

^ Back to Top ^