Jose Mourinho has challenged Tottenham to secure a spot in next season’s Europa League – and then win the competition.
Spurs came from behind to beat Arsenal 2-1 on Sunday, which saw Mourinho’s men move above their north London rivals into eighth place in the Premier League.
The Gunners took the lead through a rocket from Alexandre Lacazette after 16 minutes, but that strike was shortly cancelled out by Heung-min Son after he capitalised on a misplaced Sead Kolasinac back pass.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang hit the crossbar in the second half, before Toby Alderweireld headed in the winner nine minutes from time.
Tottenham are three points behind sixth-placed Wolves, however, seventh could be enough to secure Europa League football next term – if Man City’s two-year ban from European football is upheld on Monday.
Mourinho, who has won the Europa League with Porto and Manchester United, said: “I would love to play Europa League.
“It is not a competition I am in love with, it is not a competition that I like very, very much to play, but when you cannot play the Champions League, you play the Europa League.
“In my career I have only played the Europa League twice and I have won it twice.
“It would not be bad to play a third time and win it a third time. We have to fight until the end to finish in a Europa League place.
“If you ask [six-time Formula One world champion] Lewis Hamilton if he wants to win Formula Two, I don’t think it will be a great deal for him, but it is a competition and I prefer to play Europa League than to not play.
“I think it is a title Tottenham would obviously get. I think we should do everything possible to play Europa League next season and we have to fight for that.”
