Wounded Pochettino calls for Tottenham unity
Mauricio Pochettino called on his Tottenham players to stick together after its poor start to the campaign continued with a 7-2 UEFA Champions League humiliation at the hands of Bayern Munich.
Serge Gnabry scored four second-half goals on Wednesday (AEST) as Bundesliga champion Bayern inflicted a record margin of defeat on an English team on home soil in Europe.
Last season's beaten finalists Tottenham had earlier opened the scoring through Son Heung-min, but more questions will be asked of Spurs' spirit following their incredible collapse.
Pochettino, who last week put his side's below-par start to 2019-2020 down to an unsettled squad, admitted this third defeat in four games was tough to take.
"I don't need too much time to explain," the Tottenham manager said. "We played 30 mins well, started well, pressing high. But we were unlucky that we conceded in the first minute of the half.
"In football it can happen. Every single touch went in. We are very disappointed and very upset but we have to stay together. I think we are strong in our mentality.
"Maybe you are bored about my speech but football is today not yesterday. It is always is about the show. You have to do it today and tomorrow. It is not about experiences and what happened three months ago."
Bayern scored three times in the space of five minutes towards the end of the match and Pochettino suggested his side were unfortunate to lose so heavily.
"Every single touch from Bayern was clinical," he said. "They scored with every touch. It is tough to accept. You have to move on.
"This type of situation you have to face. It is tough and you need to be strong and keep going.
"Stay together, help each other and be all together. When you receive this type of result it is important to bounce back and believe in yourself. It is the only way to recover."
Tottenham is third in Group B after two matches, having squandered a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with Olympiacos in its opening fixture.
