‘We have to start like we are 2-0 down’ – Benoit Assou-Ekotto warns Tottenham against resting on advantage over AC Milan

Benoit Assou-Ekotto (Getty Images)

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Tottenham left-back Benoit Assou-Ekotto insists that if Spurs are to get through to the quarter finals of the Champions League they will have to go on the attack as if they had lost the first leg.

The Cameroon international believes that if the hosts rest on their laurels and try to play for the draw then AC Milan have enough in their locker to punish them.

Spurs take a 1-0 lead into the second leg against the Serie A league leaders, however, Assou-Ekotto is firmly of the belief that they will have to play as if they need a three-goal victory.

“We have to approach this game as if we lost at the San Siro and play to beat them, because if we think we are winning and wait to see what happens, that will not be good for us,” Assou-Ekotto told Tottenham’s official website.

“We have to start the game as if we are something like 2-0 down from the first leg, go on the offensive and try to score goals.”

The first leg was certainly not void of incident with Vedran Corluka chopped down by Mathieu Flamini, earning the former Arsenal man only a yellow card, before AC Milan midfielder Gennaro Gattuso confronted Tottenham coach Joe Jordan after the final whistle.

The 27-year-old felt that Milan didn’t enjoy the physical fight of the first leg and lost their discipline, and is hoping for more of the same when the sides meet at White Hart Lane on Wednesday night.

“I don’t think Milan enjoyed the last leg and there was a little bit of tension, so I’m expecting this to be another hard game,” he added. “I’m looking forward to it.

“The Champions League seems to mean so much to people’s lives. We have been used to watching the Champions League, but now we are playing in it.

“The atmosphere will be similar to how it was when we played Inter – maybe even better – and this will help us a lot. When there is a great atmosphere at White Hart Lane, we can beat many teams.”