Hugo Lloris believes Tottenham’s Champions League displays prove his decision to stay at the club was correct.
Lloris appeared to be on the brink of leaving White Hart Lane at the end of the 2013-14 season but was suitably impressed by the arrival of Mauricio Pochettino as manager that he decided to stick with Spurs.
Since Pochettino took over, Tottenham have risen steadily, challenging for the Premier League title in 2016 and 2017 and taking four points from two matches against Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid in this season’s Champions League.
The France goalkeeper remains one of the best around, as he showed with a brilliant performance to help Tottenham earn a 1-1 draw at reigning champions Real. Lloris has always been on the radar of Europe’s top clubs but so far he has resisted their interest and signed a new five-and-a-half-year contract, worth £100,000 a week, last December.
Lloris said: “From the first moment I believed in Pochettino, and that’s it. It was my feeling when I met him and I was right at the time. He is a great manager and the Real Madrid game proved it.
“Now I just enjoy the football we play. Sometimes in football you live great moments and you live some sad moments.
“But there is a great potential in the squad, a great project in our club, and I am looking forward to see this development. I try my best to help the team and the club to develop, too.”
Tottenham won deserved praise for their display at the Bernabeu but there is little opportunity for respite.
They face Liverpool at Wembley on Sunday, West Ham in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday — again at the national stadium — before they take on Manchester United at Old Trafford next Saturday.
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Ben Davies could return after missing the last two games due to illness, though Mousa Dembele remains a doubt. He travelled to Madrid and Pochettino had hoped to use him but the Belgium midfielder, who has been struggling with an ankle problem, felt in too much discomfort to be involved.
Dele Alli should regain his place in the side after missing out in Madrid through suspension, probably at the expense of Fernando Llorente, while Kieran Trippier could replace Serge Aurier.
Before the Madrid match, Lloris called on Tottenham to show they belonged at that level and their performance has made him confident about the future.
He said: “Don’t forget that two years ago we were still in the Europa League. We were disappointed with our performances in the Champions League last season but this season we built strong confidence with a good win over Dortmund.
“But now we need to stay up there and we can expect a very tough game against Madrid at Wembley (on November 1).”