Giorgio Chiellini's words resonated as they articulated what so many, deep down, believe about Tottenham.
'They always miss something at the end,' said the Juventus defender, who was undeniably outstanding against them in midweek. 'It's the history of Tottenham.'
And rival fans of teams well below Tottenham or playing much worse football clutched at that straw. It offered some certainty in a changing world: that Spurs will always be, well, Spurs.
So Jan Vertonghen considers the charges carefully before delivering a quietly-spoken response.