AITOR KARANKA has hit back at suggestions from Brentford that his Middlesbrough players are already planning a trip to Wembley after taking a first leg lead in the play-off semi-final.

The Bees head to the Riverside Stadium on Friday night trailing 2-1 from the pulsating meeting between the two sides at Griffin Park last week when Fernando Amorebieta’s stoppage-time strike secured the advantage.

Amorebieta’s goal sparked huge celebrations among the Middlesbrough camp and had brought criticism from Brentford, with goalkeeper David Button suggesting the Teessiders over-celebrated as if they had already won the semi-final.

Karanka said: “I can understand. They don’t know the spirit of this team. We celebrate the same in Brentford as we did when we beat Blackpool away, when Blackpool was at the bottom of the table.

“This does not mean we think we have achieved something. It means that our spirit is amazing; they deserve all the best because they are amazing people. We are the first to say that we have done nothing.

“The celebrations were like that because they are a very tight group and they celebrate every single point, every single victory and every single goal.”

Button was not the only Brentford player to have been critical of Middlesbrough, with defender Harlee Dean also suggesting Karanka’s side can only score goals from set-pieces.

Karanka, who has revealed striker Patrick Bamford is still struggling with an ankle knock, said: “That’s his point of view, I have to respect that. If we are winning the games it is because this team has an amazing spirit. If he thinks that we score from counter-attacks and set pieces, I prefer to say that the team is in this position because they have a great spirit and they are very good lads.

“I’ve said that so many times there were a lot of squads better than ours, but we have the best team. They are friends and they support each other. Maybe they [Brentford] don’t know that spirit. If he thinks that, I have to respect it.”

But Karanka was intent on not getting embroiled in a war of words with the opposition.

He said: “You have to show respect. This is a team that have come from League One. This season they got to the play-offs so you have to respect that. They are a very good team and their manager is doing a good job, but I have to concentrate on my team and I’m happy with all of them, and I’m very proud of all of them.”