'We’ve Got the Right Mentality': Jan Vertonghen Fires Back at Chiellini's Tottenham Criticism

Tottenham Hotspur centre back Jan Vertonghen has dismissed the comments Giorgio Chellini made about Spurs after their loss to Juventus earlier in the week. 

Chiellini claimed that Tottenham have a history of mental weakness in important games: "It’s the history of Tottenham. They always create many chances and score so much, but in the end they miss [lack] something. We believe in the history."

Vertonghen has fired back at these comments, saying that Tottenham do have the mentality for winning trophies. 

Speaking to The Guardian, Vertonghen said: "We’ve got the right mentality and I know we have what it takes to get there. Hopefully we will get another chance to show that to the world.

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"This team can reach a lot and it’s always nicer to have achieved this with a group of players who have been together for a lot of time and came through the ranks or have lived in London for a long time.

"It took me maybe five years to get my first trophy with Ajax, but it feels like you have to win a trophy to win more, and then they follow. It’s just the belief you can win it so hopefully we can win the FA Cup this year and the rest will follow. 

"We’ve got two things to focus on, the top four and the FA Cup. They’re the main two goals this season."

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Vertonghen also says he believed that Spurs were "much better" than their Turin opponents over both fixtures, they just were not able to kill the game off. 

Spurs will look to put this result against Juventus behind them and see off Bournemouth on Sunday. A win will take them up to third after Liverpool's loss to Manchester United, but if Bournemouth were to pull off an upset then Spurs will remain just two points above Chelsea.