Mauricio Pochettino: Spurs' Champions League defeats not because of Wembley

Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino refused to blame playing at Wembley for his side's "embarrassing" Champions League loss to Bayer Leverkusen.

Spurs lost 1-0 on Wednesday and have now lost both of their European games at the national stadium this season.

The club are playing their home Champions League games at Wembley while White Hart Lane is being redeveloped.

Pochettino said: "There is nowhere better in the world to play football. We were the problem, not Wembley."

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Spurs have the option to play all home league and cup matches, as well as any European games, at Wembley next season.

Pochettino added: "It is embarrassing for me.

"After two games at Wembley, Monaco and Bayer Leverkusen, there is no excuse. We were poor and we need to find the answer in ourselves.

"We are very disappointed and we cannot show the performance that we have in recent weeks - that is the problem."

The Leverkusen defeat followed a 2-1 loss at Wembley against Monaco in their opening Champions League game of the season.

Wednesday's match was played in front of 85,512, the highest English club home Champions League crowd, but saw Spurs fall to their sixth successive Wembley loss.

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Spurs now lie third in Group E behind Monaco and Bayer Leverkusen with two games left to qualify for the knockout stage, away to Monaco and at home to CSKA Moscow.

"We must win, if not we can forget the Champions League," Pochettino said.

"We need to improve and we don't have too much time to do that."

Spurs return to Premier League action on Sunday in the North London derby against Arsenal.

Spurs' Wembley woes

• 1 March 2009 - League Cup final. Lost on penalties to Manchester United

• 11 April 2010 - FA Cup semi-final. Lost 2-0 to Portsmouth

• 15 April 2012 - FA Cup semi-final. Lost 5-1 to Chelsea

• 1 March 2015 - League Cup final. Lost 2-0 to Chelsea

• 14 September 2016 - Champions League group stage. Lost 2-1 to Monaco

• 2 November 2016 - Champions League group stage. Lost 1-0 to Bayer Leverkusen