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Southampton manager Mauricio Pellegrino admits he is going through the most challenging period in his career, but is convinced it will make him stronger.
Pellegrino faces a battle to keep his job after a nightmare run of one win in 14 Premier League games ahead of Sunday’s visit of Tottenham Hotspur.
The former Liverpool defender said: 'I expect always that my challenging moment, or my most important moment, hopefully will come.
'It is part of my job, massive games, challenging moments, and how to approach these moments.
'I feel alive helping my players approach this. When you are too comfortable you feel you’re not growing.
'I’ve been working as a player in one of the biggest teams in the world, Barcelona and Valencia, winning titles as a player and as a manager too.
'For sure the difficult moments are more important than the easier moments, 100 per cent. You can learn from the experiences. It’s really constructive for everyone.
'Sometimes you win and you can’t sleep. Sometimes you lose and you drink a glass of wine, because you can be proud of what you did.
'I am proud when my players do their best, give everything, when they work as a team.
‘This is my biggest challenge at this club, for them to work as a team. The result is important, but it’s not everything.’
Pellegrino will be up against fellow Argentine and returning former Southampton manager Mauricio Pochettino.
The pair played together for their country and Barcelona but Pellegrino says he turns to mentor Rafael Benitez, and not Pochettino, in the dark times.
Pellegrino played for and worked as a coach for Benitez at Anfield and added: 'We were colleagues but we are not close friends. Right now I haven’t spoken with him.
‘I’ve got people, friends that help me or give some advice in difficult situations. I talk more with Rafa because we are closer.’
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