Mauricio Pochettino 'living his dream' with Tottenham Hotspur's Champions League success

Argentine thrilled with his side's success in their run to the semi-finals and a match with Ajax

Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino was in a good mood in training. Action Images via Reuters

Mauricio Pochettino is "living his dream" by taking Tottenham Hotspur to the Uefa Champions League semi-final, but is still thinking even bigger.

Spurs host Ajax in Tuesday's first leg having reached the last four of this competition for the first time in the Champions League era.

It has been an unexpected journey for them this season after getting past Borussia Dortmund and Manchester City in the knockout rounds, and far ahead of Pochettino's brief when he took the job five years ago.

The Argentinian was only expected to get the club challenging to be in the top four by the time they moved into their new stadium, but now they are one tie away from a Champions League final.

"I am living my dream, I am already living it - to be in the semi-final with Tottenham," Pochettino said. "It was a dream five years ago and we are living it.

"Always you must dream with the moon, if you want to get something from the sky. You need to set your dreams to infinity and beyond.

"It was tough to achieve all that I dreamed but I believe there is power in your mind when you are determined to achieve.

"If you achieve things it is because you dream, when you dream you have it in your mind and then you can get it."

A packed fixture schedule and injuries have dogged Tottenham's build-up.

Key attacking players Harry Kane and Son Heung-min are missing through injury and suspension respectively while Harry Winks is another key miss in midfield.

Pochettino accepted his side struggled with "stress and fatigue" in the 1-0 defeat to West Ham United on Saturday, but insists the occasion of a Champions League semi-final can carry his side through.

"It must be important. The energy, the semi-final, the chance to play a semi-final for Tottenham does not happen often," he added.

"We are in circumstances that are impossible to change and we must be ready."

Lucas Moura will be the man Spurs look to in Kane and Son's absence on Tuesday and he also faced the media.

The most memorable part of his press conference was when he potentially let slip that Kane, who was not expected to be back before the end of the season, could be fit for the second leg in Amsterdam next week.

When asked about Son's absence, Moura said: "To have him in the second game and we hope Harry Kane, as well, recovers quick."

Pochettino had to do some back-tracking but revealed Kane's recovery is going well.

"He is doing well, he started to run a little bit inside," he said. "His rehab is so good but we cannot create an idea that afterwards we cannot achieve.

"He is good, he is in a good place, he is so focused and we will see what happens."