Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou hailed the performances of his young squad, including standout Lucas Bergwall and debutant goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky, following their 1-0 victory over Liverpool in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final.
Speaking after the match, Postecoglou highlighted the resilience and maturity shown by his players despite the adversity the team has faced this season.
“Lucas is brilliant,” Postecoglou began. “I mean, like I said, I haven’t lost sight of the fact that we’ve got two 18-year-olds out there, one of whom is playing at center-back, which isn’t even his natural position. I don’t think people really understand the level of performance these young guys are delivering right now. And then we had a goalkeeper making his debut, Djed playing left-back unbelievably well… It’s just remarkable.”
Bergwall’s continued growth as a footballer was a focal point of Postecoglou’s praise. “Lucas is growing all the time,” he said. “He has this incredible ability to create space for himself and he’s got the quality to match it. But beyond that, he works so hard for the team. We’ve been dealing with adversity, no doubt about that, but the effort these players are putting in has been incredible. Once we get everyone back fit, we’ve got the foundation of a really strong core.”
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On Kinsky’s debut performance after his transfer from Slavia Prague, Postecoglou was equally effusive. The young goalkeeper was handed a baptism of fire, facing one of the best teams in the world in a high-pressure semi-final.
“I got the sense when I spoke to him before we signed him that he had a certain assuredness about him—something beyond his years,” Postecoglou remarked. “We gave him a mammoth task today, and he handled it incredibly well. To come into a game like this, against a team like Liverpool, and perform the way he did shows real character. He gave us the stability we needed, and I couldn’t be prouder of him.”
The narrow win at home has put Tottenham in a strong position heading into the second leg. Despite recent challenges, Postecoglou emphasized the bright future for his young squad, fueled by the emerging talents of players like Bergwall and Kinsky.