Striker Harry Kane says Tottenham have proved the doubters wrong by finishing top of one of the toughest groups in this season’s Champions League.
Spurs won at Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday to secure their place at the head of the group with a game to spare.
That followed a 3-1 win against Real Madrid at the start of November which ensured their place in the last 16.
“The group we had, a lot of people doubted us and we wanted to prove them wrong,” said Kane.
“Hopefully we can build on this now for the rest of the campaign.”
It is an impressive achievement for Tottenham, especially after they failed to progress from what could be perceived as an easier group last season.
“The season before, we were watching the draw and we thought: ‘Oh Monaco, Leverkusen and CSKA’ and we thought we had a chance to go to the next stage,” manager Mauricio Pochettino said.
“Then this draw we looked between us and thought: ‘OK we are going to compete and we say nothing’ – and look now we are first, top of the table.”
Dortmund needed a win to keep alive their slim hopes of progressing to the last 16 and they took the lead in the first half when Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang swept in his 16th goal of the season.
However, Spurs turned things around in the second half as Harry Kane equalised with a clinical low strike from the edge of the box soon after the restart.
Son Heung-min’s curled finish wrapped up the win late on.
It was a much-needed result and performance for Tottenham after the disappointment of their north London derby defeat to Arsenal at the weekend.
They can now look forward to a potentially more favourable draw in the last 16 against a side that finishes runner up in their group.
