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Tottenham new signing Lucas Moura says Mauricio Pochettino's side can win Champions League this season

The Brazilian believes Mauricio Pochettino's side have nothing to fear in Europe

Mark Critchley
Monday 19 February 2018 12:46 GMT
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Lucas Moura opened his Tottenham account against Rochdale on Sunday
Lucas Moura opened his Tottenham account against Rochdale on Sunday (Getty)

Lucas Moura, Tottenham Hotspur's latest recruit, has challenged his new team-mates to win the Champions League this season.

The £23m recruit from Paris Saint-Germain opened his Tottenham account on Sunday, notching on his full debut in the 2-2 FA Cup fifth round draw with Rochdale.

Moura’s performance was one of the few positives for Tottenham at Spotland as they followed Tuesday’s draw with Juventus, arguably one of the best performance of the Mauricio Pochettino-era, with a lacklustre display against League One’s basement club.

Moura is, nevertheless, impressed by what he has seen at his new club so far and was left particularly excited by the result in Turin, which left the 25-year-old believing that Tottenham can go all the way in Europe this year.

“It’s always important to win. Every player wants to win trophies, to make history and I am here to make history with my new friends, my new team-mates,” he said after the final whistle on Sunday.

“I believe that because we have a lot of quality, a great structure – I am really impressed – and I think we can dream with the Champions League.”

When asked whether Tottenham have as good a chance to lift the European Cup as his former employers PSG, he simply responded: “Why not?”

Moura added: “The Champions League is the most difficult cup but I think we have the capacity to win it if you always think in positives, always work hard. I think we did a big game against Juventus away. I am so happy with my new team.”

Moura’s start on Sunday was not only his first for Tottenham but his first of the season so far. The Brazilian fell out of favour in Paris following last summer's high-profile arrivals of Neymar and Kylian Mbappé, and he was delighted to finally play from the first whistle again on Sunday.

“It’s difficult to explain, I’m so happy. Since August I have not started a game. I start today and I’m so happy,” he said. “This is my new team, my new friends. I want to say thanks to God because I’m very happy.

“It’s too difficult for a player when we don’t play. We want always to be on the pitch, to play. In this time I worked very hard, I stayed always positive. I worked and I wait for my new opportunity today and I think I played a good game and I am so happy for that.”

The winger added: “I am 25 years-old but I think I won a lot of experience with PSG and I think I can help Tottenham. I think we have a lot of quality and a great structure and I think we can arrive at the end of the season with a trophy.”

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