My Players Are Heroes – Mauricio Pochettino Salutes Spurs’ Knocking Out Man City

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Mauricio Pochettino says his Tottenham Hotspur players are heroes after they played out a sensational Champions League quarter-final second leg against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium, edging out Pep Guardiola's men on away goals after a 4-3 loss.

It took just four minutes for Manchester City to level the aggregate scoreline when Raheem Sterling struck. Fed by Kevin De Bruyne, the England international curled a well-placed shot into the back of the net to give the hosts the perfect start.

But just three minutes later it was 1-1, with Heung-Min Son coming up trumps for the visitors, the South Korean hitting a shot from ten yards out which beat Ederson.

Son then scored again, in the tenth minute, to make it 2-1 to Spurs on the night as he took advantage of a mistake from Aymeric Laporte to hit the net.
 

In a breathless opening it was then 2-2 just one minute later, Bernardo Silva scoring for the hosts.

And then Manchester City pulled ahead in the 21st minute, Sterling being in the right place to connect with a De Bruyne cross to tuck the ball into the back of the net at the back post.
 

When Sergio Aguero struck just before the hour mark, Manchester City were ahead on aggregate, but Tottenham were not about to lie down and made it 4-3 on the night and 4-4 on aggregate through Fernando Llorente.

There was controversy about the Spaniard's goal in the 73rd minute as it appeared to have hit Llorente's arm, but the referee gave the goal.

Then deep into stoppage time Manchester City thought they had scored the decisive goal, but Sterling's effort was ruled out for offside.

Tottenham claimed the away goals win, thanks to a 1-0 win in the first leg, and will play Ajax in the semi-final.

And Pochettino is hugely proud of his players.

He told BT Sport after the game: "It was unbelievable, the way it finished. I am so happy, so proud.

"It was an unbelievable game", Pochettino added.