Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho explains why Wolves victory was so special to him

Jose Mourinho

Jose Mourinho says Tottenham's victory over Wolves on Sunday was a "special feeling" because his dad once played at Molineux.

Felix Mourinho played as a goalkeeper for Portuguese outfits Vitoria Setubal and Belenenses between 1955 and 1974.

In the final season of his career, Mourinho was part of the Belenenses side that lost 4-1 on aggregate to Wolves - including a 2-1 defeat in the away leg - in the first round of the UEFA Cup.

And the Tottenham manager, whose father passed away in 2017, says Sunday's win was particularly significant to him for that reason.

Jan Vertonghen's late goal secured a vital victory for Spurs, who are now just three points adrift of Chelsea in fourth place.

"Let me share you with you a little emotion," Mourinho told reporters in his post-match press conference. "My dad played here in this stadium against Wolves in a UEFA Cup match in the early '70s, so it was a special feeling for me.

"It was a big match, a big, big, big match. They showed everything I said in the press conference before the game. How good they are, how strong they are, at every level - tactically, technically, mentally, they are very, very strong.

"And for us to cope with them and arrive in a position where it was possible to win the game in the last period was a big, big effort from a team who has a lot to improve on from a tactical point of view. But we are getting there. [We showed] amazing spirit. A big, big, big victory for us."

Tottenham, who have been drawn against Bundesliga leaders RB Leipzig in the Champions League round of 16, have the chance to climb above Chelsea and into fourth spot if they beat the Blues on Sunday.

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Greg Lea

Greg Lea is a freelance football journalist who's filled in wherever FourFourTwo needs him since 2014. He became a Crystal Palace fan after watching a 1-0 loss to Port Vale in 1998, and once got on the scoresheet in a primary school game against Wilfried Zaha's Whitehorse Manor (an own goal in an 8-0 defeat).