Mauricio Pochettino 'very positive' Kane will be available
Monday 27 May 2019 20:39, UK
Tottenham striker Harry Kane has declared himself fit to face Liverpool in the Champions League final after returning to full training.
England captain Kane has missed nine games since injuring his ankle in Spurs' 1-0 win over Manchester City in the Champions League quarter-final first leg on April 9.
But he returned to full training this weekend, along with Jan Vertonghen, Harry Winks and Davinson Sanchez.
"I feel good. I started to feel my way back with the team at the end of last week," Kane said. "There have been no problems so far.
"For me, this week now is to get the fitness as high as possible. Then it's down to the manager.
"I'm at a place now where I'm ready to go for any game, but again, it's down to the manager."
Pochettino said it was a "very positive situation" for Kane but was guarded about whether the striker would start.
"Harry Kane in the last week, since Friday or Saturday, has started to be involved with the group," Pochettino said.
"His situation is very positive. We have one week ahead until Saturday to evaluate [him] and see how he is progressing.
"But of course, like I have said in the past, it is so important for him to feel well and he is very positive.
"We will see what happens. I am not telling you he is going to be fit 100 per cent or that he is going to be available to play from the beginning or be on the bench or be out but we are so, so positive and happy with the progression.
"Jan Vertonghen, Harry Winks and Davinson Sanchez are in the same process. Those four players have started Friday and Saturday to be involved with the group.
"That means for everyone it is very positive that they can maybe available at the weekend. That is very good news for us."
Tottenham have played Liverpool twice this season in the Premier League, losing 2-1 on both occasions, at Wembley on September 15 and at Anfield on March 31.
But Pochettino says those defeats will have no bearing on what happens this weekend.
"Along with the World Cup final, the final of the Champions League is one of the biggest games in the world," Pochettino said.
"It is going to be a different game, we cannot prepare for a final of the Champions League on what happened a few months ago.
"The circumstances are completely different, the circumstances are the circumstances.
"It is going to be different, that is why our focus is on ourselves."
Pochettino swerved a question about his own future when asked by a member of the Italian media whether he might one day manage in Serie A.
"Today no one is more important than the game that we have ahead, Tottenham deserve that we are all 100 per cent focused on the game. We can make history, we can provide our fans the best happiness in football," he said.
Dele Alli told Sky Sports News that Spurs' players are brimming with belief ahead of the final on June 1.
The Spurs midfielder says the dramatic knockout wins over Ajax and Manchester City have injected confidence into side, giving them belief that anything is possible against Liverpool in Madrid.
He said: "We know it's a tough game coming up but we go into it with all the confidence that we are going to win. We know it's going to be a difficult game, they are a great side.
"If you look at how the competition has gone so far, we've had some difficult moments and we've shown some real character as a team. Our confidence could not be any higher after going through what we have already so far.
"Some of the toughest times in the competition when we've had to fight - the Ajax game in the last minute to score the winner. We go into the game with a lot of confidence and we go there to win."
