Moussa Sissoko on his Tottenham career: “We didn’t lack much to win titles.”

Speaking to L’Équipe following his transfer from Watford to Nantes, former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Moussa Sissoko (32) praised recently departed PSG manager Mauricio Pochettino, reflected on his time at Tottenham and gave his opinion on that controversial penalty in the 2019 Champions League final. 

After winning the first league title of his managerial career at PSG, Pochettino was replaced on the bench at the Parc des Princes by Christophe Galtier. Pochettino managed Sissoko between 2016-2019, the latter revealing the impact that the former had on his career. 

Sissoko said, “He is the manager I learned the most from on a technical, tactical, even mental level and the one under whom I improved the most. I arrived in a team that was performing well and played a less attacking role than the one I played at Newcastle. I didn’t have a starting spot from the beginning, but he persevered with me.”

He continued,”We didn’t lack much to win titles, we had the team to win them. We still experienced great moments, notably the run to the Champions League final in 2019.”

Sissoko was penalised in the opening minutes of that final against Liverpool. Adjudged to have handled inside his own penalty area, Liverpool converted the resulting penalty and went on to dominate the match. The French international midfielder still doesn’t agree with that controversial decision. 

He said, “I think nowadays that wouldn’t be given, because it touches my chest first. I try to bring my arm down and then it touches the hand. It was bad luck and the turning point in the match. 1-0 down so quickly, it changes the match.”

After suffering relegation with Watford last season, Sissoko is now hoping to bounce back at Nantes. With the promise of European football, he is even hoping to force his way back into Didier Deschamps’ plans ahead of the World Cup in Qatar later this year. 

“I have not come here (Nantes) as a messiah, and I’m not Messi. It is not because of my arrival that we’ll finish on the podium, but I’m going to bring all of my qualities and my experience, and if I have my chance to go to Qatar then I’ll strive to get them. I have received pre-call-ups so I’m still in the thinking. It’s up to me to do what it takes to make the final list.”

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