Pochettino: Tottenham´s top-four finish would mean more than a Barca title

Mauricio Pochettino believes he has already proven to be a successful Tottenham manager by guiding the club into the Champions League.

Spurs finished third in the Premier League last season, while they are second this term – just four points behind leaders Chelsea.

And although Pochettino would like to guide Tottenham to the title – or the FA Cup, ahead of a semi-final clash with Chelsea – he insists a top-four place represents success to the club.

“Here at Tottenham is a massive success,” he said ahead of Saturday’s cup clash. “Yes, you can win titles. But with which teams? It is normal to win titles with Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, maybe Juventus, Porto in Portugal.

“With a big team, you are already very close to winning. Look at Barcelona with Pep [Guardiola], with Tito Vilanova, with Frank Rijkaard, with Luis Enrique – all different managers, but with the same group of players and they were successful.

“Success for me is to finish in the top four like last season. It was a big success for Tottenham and means maybe more than winning one title with Barcelona.

“I dream of lifting trophies the way I did with Espanyol: two Copa del Reys – with Espanyol! That is why I admire Diego Simeone at Atletico Madrid. It is so difficult to win with Atletico Madrid. He deserves more credit maybe than some others.”

Pochettino retains a desire to win trophies, though, and said Spurs have the ambition to do so.

“At Spurs, you always like a manager and a player who lifts the trophies,” he said. “We will arrive there, we are ambitious.

“But for me success is not only to lift a trophy. How you arrive in a position to lift trophies is more important.

“I have not changed my desire to lift trophies from when I was at Espanyol. And as a kid playing for Boca Juniors or River Plate, it was normal to win – not playing for [former club] Newell’s Old Boys.

“But I liked that challenge. If you are there but are not spending the money and are still challenging, that is what I like the most.

“If we can achieve in the end maybe the Premier League or the FA Cup, or the top four again, I think it’s a massive achievement for the team.”