Mourinho: Tottenham don't need a summer rebuild despite early Champions League exit

Posted Wednesday, March 11, 2020 by Goal.com

The Spurs boss insists that once his squad is at full strength that they will not need a huge number of new arrivals

Jose Mourinho insists he does not expect a major rebuild for Tottenham this summer as the Spurs boss believes the club will be much better next year after recovering from a series of "traumatic" injuries.

Spurs were toppled by RB Leipzig on Tuesday, falling 3-0 in Germany after losing the first leg 1-0 at home in their Champions League last 16 tie.

It took just 10 minutes for the German side to take the lead on Tuesday through Marcel Sabitzer, who added a second just 11 minutes later to all but end Spurs' hopes of another run through the Champions League.

Emil Forsberg added RB Leipzig's third in the game's waning moments, ensuring that Mourinho would endure his longest ever run without a victory.

Spurs' recent struggles have come following a series of catastrophic injuries, with Harry Kane, Son Heung-min, Moussa Sissokho and Steven Bergwijn among those currently on the sidelines.

And Mourinho acknowledged that those injuries have taken their toll while adding that he expects the eventual returns of those listed above to lift the team when the time comes.

"If I can be critical of some of my players, I keep this for us. They tried to give what they can give," Mourinho told BT Sport.

"We made mistakes, mistakes that we have analysed in previous matches. I never blame players with some difficulties. It's hard for me to cope with players who cannot express their potential, not those who are at their limit. I am with the boys.

"There is nobody to blame. In every match we have a traumatic injury. That's the history of this season. It is non-stop. Look at our bench tonight. It is very hard. I cannot blame the players.

"I don't think we will have a big rebuild, this summer, unless something happens during the Euros, we have Sissoko back, we have Kane, we have Son, that is massive."

While Mourinho admitted that the injuries did take their toll, he also added that Spurs were deserved losers in the tie, one which was dominated by RB Leipzig.

"Look, of course I was positive yesterday, that's the way I have to be all of the time. If you're not positive it's better not to come to the game," he said.

"Yes we all believed but we know that in this moment it's very difficult. They are a very strong side.

"It's hard for us to score at the moment. Our first couple of mistakes they score and then it's very difficult. Their physicality is incredible, their defenders win the duels, they stop the game. They are very fast in attack. They can hurt us all of the time, they deserve to go through."

Spurs are set to return to the Premier League on Sunday for a vital clash with Manchester United.

Mourinho's side currently sit four points behind the fifth-placed Red Devils and seven points behind fourth-placed Chelsea.