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DORTMUND, Germany -- Tottenham coach Mauricio Pochettino says he has "no regrets' about playing a weakened team in Thursday's 3-0 Europa League defeat at Borussia Dortmund. Spurs made seven changes from Saturday's 2-2 Premier League draw with Arsenal, with Harry Kane, Mousa Dembele, Erik Lamela and Kyle Walker left out of the team and a fourth Spurs start for teenager Joshua Onomah, 18. Goals from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, his 33rd of the campaign, and two from Marco Reus all but ensured Dortmund's progress to the quarterfinals ahead of next week's second leg at White Hart Lane. Pochettino, now winless in three matches, must lift his players ahead of Sunday's Premier League match at struggling Aston Villa and decide how to approach an essentially meaningless rematch with the German giants. The Argentine, however, stuck by his lineup and insisted the experience of facing Dortmund was more important than the result. "No regrets. I'm very disappointed with the result but we didn't have a very good day. It was a bad day in the office," Pochettino told a news conference at Signal Iduna Park. "When we analysed the squad, we picked the starting eleven to try to win the game. It started okay but it was a really bad day for us. "I think they had a good experience but we spoke yesterday and I told them that to play at the next level you compete with team like Borussia Dortmund which is a real test. It was good for us to feel what a game in the Champions League feels like. "It was disappointing because the result was bad but to build a group for the next few years to compete at the level that Borussia Dortmund is very difficult. We were disappointed but it was a very good test for us to compare the level." The defeat in Germany came after Spurs lost at West Ham and let a 2-1 lead slip against their 10-man rivals in last weekend's North London derby, slipping five points behind league leaders Leicester City. Pochettino, however, is unconcerned by Spurs' form, adding: "I am not worried -- I know the circumstances. "We need to accept some periods during the season, 10 months, that we will have good and bad times. We have always had things good. It has only been in the last few games not so much. The players are very sad but we have to take the positives. We have a big challenge against Aston Villa on Sunday. We are in a very good position in the league and we will do our best." The second leg on March 17 at White Hart Lane is essentially a dead rubber but Pochettino said his players would continue to "fight" for the tie. "First we need to try to win against Aston Vila on Sunday then try to assess again," he said. "Try to pick the best players to compete. We need to try and fight for the tie. It is difficult but we are always optimistic. We need to forget now and be ready for Sunday. We will see."
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