LONDON -- Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino has said the club struggled to cope with the expectation of being in the Champions League but are nevertheless in a similar position to last season.
Spurs crashed out of the Champions League last month, and Pochettino said his side had not dealt with the pressure of a European campaign that "was a big challenge but disappointed the players, the coaching staff."
They challenged for a first-ever Premier League title in 2015-16, but trail current leaders Chelsea by 10 points following Sunday's 1-0 defeat at Manchester United.
"The expectation was higher," Pochettino told a news conference.