Mauricio Pochettino Hails Spurs as 'Superheroes' After Stunning UCL Comeback

Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino hailed his team as "superheroes" after they completed an incredible comeback against Ajax to reach the UEFA Champions League final on Wednesday.

After Spurs found themselves 2-0 down in Amsterdam (3-0 on aggregate), Lucas Moura bagged a second-half hat-trick to fire them through to the final, where they will take on Liverpool.

Per the Mirror's Darren Lewis, Pochettino said:

"They are all heroes but [Lucas Moura] was a superhero. For him, scoring a hat-trick. He is a super, super superhero. He was very clinical in front of goal, a machine.

"To get the club to the Champions League final is almost a miracle. This is one of the most important nights of my life. ...

"I think my players are all superheroes now. No-one believed in us from the beginning of the season.

"We are so close to the top four and have the opportunity in Madrid to play the final against Liverpool. This chapter that we're going to close now, until the 1 June, it can be amazing to close the chapter. It should be an amazing book."

Matthijs de Ligt and Hakim Ziyech might have felt they had booked Ajax's place in the June 1 showpiece at half-time after giving the Dutch side a commanding lead on the night and in the tie with a header and a fine finish, respectively.

Spurs and Moura begged to differ, though. They battled back with a clinical performance that culminated in the Brazilian notching a last-gasp winner, having scored twice in the space of four minutes shortly after half-time (U.S. and UK only, respectively):

The Times' Oliver Kay and football writer Adam White singled out Moura for praise:

Football broadcaster and commentator Phil Kitromilides offered a reminder of Spurs' less-than-ideal preparation for the campaign:

They didn't bring in anyone in the winter transfer window, either. Moura, who arrived from Paris Saint-Germain on January 31, 2018, was the last player the Lilywhites signed.

Spurs' lack of recruitment has left them lacking depth at times in comparison to their rivals, which only makes the achievement of reaching the final more impressive.

They need only a point at home to Everton on the final day of the Premier League season to guarantee a place in the top four and Champions League football for next season too.

Tottenham have only beaten Liverpool once since 2012, though, so if they are to triumph over the Reds in June 1's final, they will need to produce another heroic performance.