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As expected, there is no Eriksen, Alli, Dembélé, Vertonghen or Aurier Spurs. It looks like they’re going with a back four, with Wanyama and Winks in the deep midfield positions. Their bench looks weak. As for Barça, that defence can be got at. But how about that front three? And they could spring Dembélé and Vidal from the bench if need be.
Spurs: Lloris; Trippier, Alderweireld, Sanchez, Davies; Wanyama, Winks; Lucas, Lamela, Son; Kane.
Hello. Last season Spurs thrashed Real Madrid and Liverpool at Wembley but both those teams – not Spurs – later contested the Champions League final. That sums up where Tottenham are at: tantalisingly short of where they would like to be and maybe even where they should be. But in which direction are they moving? Forward? Or backwards as a result of the summer’s inertia in the transfer market? This match will provide more clues.
If they beat Barcelona despite being deprived of up to five important players through injury, then that would suggest their squad is stronger than supposed and Mauricio Pochettino does indeed have special powers. A defeat, meanwhile, would reinforce fears that Spurs have left themselves too threadbare and are stalling or slipping into reverse after four strong years under Pochettino. It would also, on the back of the loss at Inter in their group match, slash their chances of reaching the knockout stages of the Champions League.
Written by Paul Doyle
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/football/live/2018/oct/03/tottenham-hotspur-v-barcelona-champions-league-live under the title “Tottenham Hotspur v Barcelona: Champions League – live!”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
