Victory can transform the mood in an instant and Tottenham's players emerged triumphant from a fine night in Frankfurt with fresh determination to end this season of suffering in style.
'Everyone suffered a lot this season,' said goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario after clinching a place in the Europa League semi-finals. 'It has been a very tough one, but we are still alive and want to fight for something special.
'It is an important achievement. The job is not done but it's a big win for Tottenham Hotspur, for everyone, for the boss, for us players, for the staff, for the fans. We are very proud.'
Pride was evident in the way they overcame Eintracht Frankfurt. By grinding past tough opponents 1-0 courtesy of a penalty scored by Dominic Solanke, in a hostile atmosphere to confront the most common criticism, that Spurs are flimsy and easy to beat.
'It's just a perception,' said Vicario. 'We know what we are capable of when we are really tuned in, when we work hard as a team like we showed. The achievement over two legs was deserved. We showed the resilience and desire to fight.
'We got the job done and deserved to be in the semi-final of a big European competition. It was an amazing night for us. The job is not done. Now we go to the semi-final. We face another tough opponent. But we will fight for sure.'
Tottenham will take on Norwegian champions Bodo/Glimt in the semi-finals, with the first leg at home on Thursday week. They are striving to win major honours for the first time since 2008.
It will not, however, mask a dreadful campaign in the Premier League. Having been devasted by injuries in midwinter, they wallow in 15th. They have lost 17 of 32 league games, and host Champions League chasing Nottingham Forest on Monday.
Nor will it erase doubts around the future head coach Ange Postecoglou but it will reinforce confidence inside the dressing room.
'Not at any stage have I felt they lost any belief in me or what we're doing,' said Postecoglou. 'That is crucial when you're having a difficult season, but there is also a season of opportunity there. That's what keeps driving me.'
Scott Munn, a key ally of Postecoglou, is expected to leave Tottenham after two years as the club's chief football officer when Vinai Venkatesham, formerly at Arsenal, arrives as chief executive at the end of the season.
Munn, 51, arrived from the City Football Group's Chinese branch in 2023, the same year as fellow Australian Postecoglou. He has been a background figure, barely speaking publicly and was charged by chairman Daniel Levy with shaking up and streamlining various departments at the club.
This included a review into the medical department that ended with the exit of long-serving head of medicine Geoff Scott last year but failed to curtail the injury problems that have haunted Postecoglou's tenure.