Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino does not think it would be embarrassing if his side were knocked out of the Champions League at the group stage.
Spurs realistically have to beat PSV at Wembley on Tuesday if they are to have any chance of extending their stay in the competition until after Christmas, with games against Inter Milan and Barcelona still to come.
“When you compete at that level against Inter Milan or PSV, of course Barcelona, it is not easy to go to the next stage of the Champions League and qualify,” Pochettino said.
“When you are competitive at that level, if you are not good enough, if you are not clinical or defend poorly like in the last minute in the Inter Milan game.
“If you don’t deserve to go, it’s disappointing but not embarrassing.
“We all feel disappointed because we cannot deliver the possibility of playing the Champions League in our new stadium, but it wasn’t in our hands, there were many things that complicated it. It is impossible to blame the club.
“If we are able to win tomorrow and have the possibility to go to the next stage maybe we can play in the Champions League in March in the new stadium.”