Pochettino has 'a certain weakness for Zidane'

Mauricio Pochettino must put aside his admiration for Zinedine Zidane when Tottenham face Real Madrid, who have been the best team in the world of late according to the Spurs boss.

Tottenham make the daunting trip to the Santiago Bernabeu for a showdown with the Champions League holders in Group H on Tuesday.

Madrid won LaLiga last season and became the first team to retain the European Cup in its present format when they dispatched Juventus 4-1 in the final in Cardiff.

Zidane, who replaced Rafael Benitez at the helm of Los Blancos in January 2016, took charge of both of those successful campaigns, having also won the competition as a player in 2001-02, when he scored a stunning volley to seal a 2-1 victory over Bayer Leverkusen at Hampden Park.

And it is those exploits, on the field and now on the touchline, that have greatly impressed Tottenham's manager.

"Madrid have been the best team in the world in the last few years," Pochettino told beIN Sports.

"They've proved that and, honestly, I have a certain weakness for Zinedine Zidane, as a footballer and now.

"Of course, we'll try to use our weapons to play a good game and to win, because we're going there to win."