Mauricio Pochettino has urged his Tottenham stars to play with “freedom” because they have “nothing to lose.”
It was a rallying cry of sorts from Pochettino, who was anxious to make a case for his team having been underdogs all season with no-one giving them a chance.
They find themselves 90 minutes from history and the club's first ever Champions League Final — a feat would have seemed unthinkable given all the obstacles they have had to overcome.
Back-to-back windows without a single incoming transfer, having to play home matches at temporary HQ Wembley again because of delays with their new stadium and a disastrous start of just one point from the first three group games that saw them staring at early elimination.
On Wednesday night here in Amsterdam, they face another major hurdle.
Ajax fans cannot scare Tottenham's Mauricio Pochettino after playing-days dramas
Tottenham trail Ajax 1-0 from last week’s semi-final first leg and were so comprehensively outplayed at White Hart Lane they are lucky still to be in touching distance.
The comeback that would put them in the June 1 final against Barcelona (who they held to a group-stage draw in the Nou Camp) or Liverpool must also come without their still-injured talisman and top scorer Harry Kane.
But Pochettino has no doubts they can pull it off.
“I think it’s an exciting moment for us to be in a semi-final,” he said. “I think we need to enjoy and have more freedom to play and to start the game the way we (want) to start — the approach was really poor from our side (in the first leg).
“I think we need to feel more freedom to play. We have nothing to lose from the beginning. We know we need to win and try.
“To be in the semi-final with a negative result from the first leg makes it difficult, but it is still open. We know very well that we need to win the game to have the opportunity to be in the final. That’s the objective.
“Tomorrow we have to perform to our best and have some luck — in football you have to have some luck. It’s an exciting game ahead.
Ajax boss sends warning to Tottenham ahead of Champions League semi-final second leg
“At the start of the season, no-one believed we had the chance to reach the Champions League Final and be in the top four. Both things can be real [Top four is as good as assured, with Arsenal needing a final-day miracle on Sunday to pip their arch-rivals].
“But I think this is not the right moment to talk. We will have time to talk about that.
“Ajax were very good (in the first leg). They showed more energy than us, they were very dynamic and very good. It was difficult for us to be on the game and we talked a little bit after the game. But our approach was bad.
Mauricio Pochettino drops Tottenham quit bombshell ahead of Ajax second leg
“But what happens tomorrow is not to justify whether they were poor in the first leg or not.
“If you play a semi-final it is because you have good players, your team and your coaching staff are good. Liverpool, Barcelona, Ajax and Tottenham are good.
“There are different circumstances that can happen during a game, but to arrive in the semi-final of this competition, the toughest competition in the world, is because you are good. All four teams involved are good.”
