Xavi Simons sends ‘no excuses’ message in 13-word statement to Tottenham team-mates ahead of Nottingham Forest clash

Xavi Simons has urged his Tottenham teammates to rise against Nottingham Forest at home.

Tottenham Hotspur secured their first win under Igor Tudor by beating Atletico Madrid 3-2 on Wednesday in the Champions League.

It was not enough to progress through to the quarter-finals, as Atletico went through with a 7-5 aggregate win, but there were several positives to take for Igor Tudor. After a draw with Liverpool in the Premier League on Sunday, Spurs built on that performance with a much-improved display of attacking and pressing football, something which the fans have rarely watched this season.

Xavi Simons was at the heart of Tottenham’s win over Atletico Madrid. He delivered his finest performance in a Spurs shirt so far since arriving from RB Leipzig last summer. The Dutchman rose on the European night and produced a display full of confidence, vigour, energy and incisiveness.

The 22-year-old also netted two goals on the night. The first one was a moment of brilliance, curling past Atletico goalkeeper Jan Musso from outside the box. His second goal came from the penalty spot in stoppage time, sealing the win for Tottenham. Xavi Simons won the penalty himself and confidently stepped up to convert it, earning an 8/10 rating in the process.

Xavi Simons sends message to teammates ahead of Nottingham Forest showdown

Fresh from a Man of the Match display against Atletico in the Champions League, Simons is chomping at the bit to deliver the goods on Sunday when Tottenham host Nottingham Forest in a crucial fixture. The playmaker wants his teammates to build on the midweek display and beat Nottingham Forest, citing “no excuses”.

“Obvious disappointment, but a building block. We build from here now. No excuses,” Simons said on his Instagram account.

It clearly looks like Simons is pumped up for the upcoming Premier League fixture. Following a solid cameo at Liverpool, coupled with a dazzling display against Diego Simeone’s men, the Dutch star’s confidence is back. Having failed to live up to the hype after arriving for big money from RB Leipzig, the creative midfielder has felt the heat from the fans and the critics.

However, Simons produced a statement display in midweek, demonstrating why he is rated so highly across the continent. Tudor and fans will now hope to see him translate his European displays into the league during the most decisive juncture of the campaign, starting with the Forest fixture.