‘Suarez was nasty and I had Torres in my pocket’ - Spurs legend on ‘passion’ for playing Liverpool

Former Tottenham Hotspur star Sebastien Bassong has recalled relishing scrappy fights with 'dirty and nasty' Liverpool star Luis Suarez.

The 37-year-old opened up about his career to The Beautiful Game Podcast, including his time at Spurs where he developed a love for playing rivals Liverpool.

Bassong started his career at Metz in France before moving to the Premier League with Newcastle United, where he played for a year before forcing a switch to North London in an infamous transfer saga of the time.

It didn't take long for the highly-rated youngster to make an impact at White Hart Lane after his £8 million transfer in 2009.

Bassong made his debut in a home fixture against Liverpool and the defender found himself connecting to a Luka Modric free-kick to nod in the winner in the 58th minute.

From that moment on, the Frenchman grew a 'passion' for playing Liverpool, especially with the chance to face the notoriously menacing Luis Suarez. The player also denied ever being close to joining the Reds despite transfer reports.

Bassong said: "I used to love and hate Liverpool with a passion. From the day I scored against them, I thought they'd be my lucky charm. To become the best, I needed to make some things up in my head.

"Luis Suarez, Steven Gerrard... when I scored against Liverpool the first game because it was my debut, it became a superstition.

"Liverpool was my thing. At the time Fernando Torres was playing and I put him in my pocket. I thought, is that really you?

"That gave me a lot of confidence so every time I was playing Liverpool, I loved the scrap against Suarez, he was so dirty, a nasty player. He was pressing your balls and everything. Him and Diego Costa at Chelsea, I loved playing against them."

Bassong spent three years at Tottenham Hotspur, making 71 appearances for the side before falling down the pecking order and eventually moving on loan to Wolves.

On the podcast, Bassong also had plenty of compliments for club owner Daniel Levy and his treatment of players. The defender said: "Daniel was brutally honest, I respect him. He's done mistakes, he's a human being, but as a businessman, you can't be liked. Is he the reason Tottenham haven't won trophies? I'm out of my competency to talk about that. What I know, he's given his all. I respect and I like him.

"Spurs haven't won for years, that's factual, fans are allowed to moan. I get it and they have to express their opinion because they want to see trophies and get silverware back to Tottenham, me too.

"You've got to look at the situation on the whole, it's not like Daniel is smoking cigars and not trying. He might not have had the result people expect, but he's trying hard."