Pochettino Not Expecting Barcelona Favours

By Max Wise

Tottenham Hotspurs boss, Mauricio Pochettino, does not expect favours from Barcelona when the two sides meet in the last group games of the 2018/2019 UEFA Champions League group stage.

Barcelona have already qualified for the knockout stage as group winners with 13 points, leaving Tottenham and Inter Milan, who are both on seven points, to fight for the remaining ticket.

Christian Eriksen’s 80th-minute strike ensured Spurs beat Inter Milan 1-0 to move second in the group, but the North London side face a difficult task at Camp Nou on December 11, while Inter Milan have a relatively weaker opposition in PSV at the San Siro.

The former Southampton and Espanyol manager, however, does not expect the Blaugrana outfit to down tools against Spurs.

"I expect they'll play with the best players, but I don't know how they'll prepare the game," he told a news conference.

"We need to think about us, prepare for the game in the best way, and try to believe we can win. What Barcelona do is not in our hands.

"But, of course, in the Champions League, no one is going to give a present, and play and not care about the result.

"It's going to be very competitive, but of course they're qualified in first with 13 points. Us and Inter can only arrive with 10 points. All is possible in football."