Tottenham Hotspur midfielder James Maddison has revealed what he was thinking when he was watching Arsenal play in the Champions League.
Following the appointment of Ange Postecoglou last summer, Tottenham look like a different outfit compared to the side which played under Antonio Conte.
Not many people would have put Spurs anywhere near the discussion for Champions League football this season.
The summer saw Daniel Levy oversee an awful lot of big changes at Spurs as the club hit the reset button and even allowed Harry Kane to move on.
However, that is exactly where Spurs find themselves and three points on Saturday could open up a three point cushion on Aston Villa.
But Spurs have been forced to watch on this season with no European football on the menu after a dismal 2022/23 term under Conte.
And James Maddison has now admitted he was sat at home watching both Manchester City and Arsenal’s games on Tuesday night.
What Maddison actually said about Arsenal after their game against Bayern
Having finished in the top six 12 times over the last 14 seasons, last year was a huge disappointment under Conte.
Spurs will have taken a financial blow after failing to qualify for any form of European football but there is also the aspect of what it means to the fans.
Levy has recently revealed Spurs are operating at a higher level financially than ever before with the construction of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
However, it is apparent the lack of European football is something which is on the players’ minds going into the final games of the season.
Spurs look set to land some form of European football now with an 11 point gap on sixth-placed Manchester United.
But speaking on Sky Sports News today, Maddison admitted his eyes are firmly on helping Spurs securing Champions League football.
“As a player, you don’t always share the same things but we want to be in the Champions League. I sat there last night [Tuesday] watching two huge quarter final clashes and it’s a competition that we at Tottenham need to be in,” he said.
Ange Postecoglou’s comments do not correlate to what Maddison has said
It is apparent the players and the fans feel Spurs need to be playing in the Champions League next season.
However, that has not been the message which Postecoglou has been sending out from Hotspur Way during his press conferences.
The Australian has been firm on the rhetoric that Champions League qualification will not define Tottenham’s development.
“Couldn’t care less about the race for fourth mate. What I care about is the way the team is progressing. Pleased with today,” Postecoglou said.
“It had a little bit of everything. We started the game well, not just the goal, I thought we controlled the game well.”