Tottenham midfielder Lucas Moura has told ESPN Brasil that Spurs' wild Champions League quarterfinal second leg against Manchester City on Wednesday was the most emotional game of his life.
The north London side advanced on away goals -- 4-4 on aggregate -- after a thrilling 4-3 defeat at the Etihad in which Raheem Sterling's go-ahead goal in stoppage time was nullified for offside after a VAR review.
While the unforgettable events in Manchester marked a high for the Brazil international's career, Lucas' professional low came in the 2017 edition of the competition when his Paris Saint-Germain side threw away a 4-0 first-leg advantage to Barcelona at the Camp Nou in the round of 16.
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"Man, I think now I've been through both sides of the coin, you know? I was in that game against Barcelona when I played for PSG. We won the first leg 4-0 and then lost the second 6-1," Lucas recounted in an exclusive interview with ESPN Brasil. "Without a doubt, that was the worst day of my football career.
"And yesterday was the most emotional game I've played, with a happy ending. Crazy game with four goals in 20 minutes. It was a whirlwind of emotions.
"I left the game and kept cheering on the bench, praying and stuff. Then Sterling scored and I started to mourn. ... Then I looked up to the big screen and the VAR pointed an offside on the play. It all changed again.
"It was a classic Champions League match between two great teams playing in a quarterfinal. It was amazing."
Wednesday's classic featured teams with starkly different approaches to spending. City spend lavishly to provide manager Pep Guardiola the squad he desires. Spurs, however, have been built by shrewd buys and player development, with Mauricio Pochettino's side failing to sign a new recruit for the past two transfer windows.
Lucas, who was bought from PSG for €28 million in January of 2018, said the contrast between the clubs made the result even more special.
"No question," he said. "I think no one believed in us. We faced one of the favourites to win it all, one of the biggest clubs in football today and we played two great matches.
"This proves that the only way to win in football is on the pitch. It's eleven against eleven.
"The spirit of each team counts a lot, the intensity and always trusting in your teammates and this is what we did.
"I'm really proud of all of the guys. I think this is the right spirit and mentality. It's semifinal time!"