Tottenham Hotspur host Marseille in the Champions League on Wednesday night, so HITC Sport look at a combined XI from the two teams – including Harry Kane and Nuno Tavares.
Antonio Conte secured Spurs’ return to the UEFA competition with a fourth-place finish in the Premier League last season. The north London outfit had missed the prior two editions of the tournament with singular Europa League and Europa Conference League campaigns.
- FOFANA AND RICHARLISON IN THE MOST EXPENSIVE DEALS BY LONDON-BASED PL CLUBS
- ANTONY AND DARWIN NUNEZ IN THE MOST EXPENSIVE DEALS BY NORTH WEST PL CLUBS
Marseille, meanwhile, have competed in the Champions League just once over the past six seasons. They contended the group stage of the 2020/21 campaign, but finished in fourth-place behind Manchester City, FC Porto and Olympiacos with one win over their six games.
Tottenham and Marseille will now meet in north London in their opening Group D game of the 2022/23 Champions League campaign. Eintracht Frankfurt and Sporting Lisbon meet in the other Group D fixture, before OM host Die Adler and Spurs visit the Liga Portugal club.
Wednesday’s tie will also mark the first time that Tottenham and Marseille have met in any competition. So ahead of the UEFA clash, what would a combined XI of the Premier League and Ligue 1 sides look like, headlined by Kane in the attack and Arsenal loanee Tavares?
Hugo Lloris (GK): Tottenham man star shot-stopper of combined XI with Marseille
Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris is the star shot-stopper of a combined XI with Marseille ahead of their Champions League meeting. The 2018 World Cup winner and Spurs captain has kept two clean sheets over his first six Premier League appearances of the term so far.
Lloris has also proven that despite being 35 years old, he can still claw dangerous attempts away from his net. But Marseille will try to put the former Lyon goalkeeper under pressure when in possession, hoping for a mistake by the Frenchman to win the ball inside his area.
Jonathan Clauss (RWB): Marseille edged Tottenham, Chelsea for summer signing
Marseille edged interest from Tottenham and Chelsea to sign Jonathan Clauss off RC Lens in July. L’Equipe claim the deal was worth €9m (£7.75m) before add-ons, but note OM cite an initial fee of €7.5m (£6.5m) payable over two years and €1.2m (£1m) to be paid in 2025.
It was Sky Sports who credited Tottenham with an interest in buying the 29-year-old, while the Evening Standard cited Chelsea and Manchester United as suitors. They liked Clauss after he assisted 11 goals in 37 Ligue 1 games last term and has two in six so far this term.
Chancel Mbemba (CB): DR Congo defender settling in well with Marseille
Chancel Mbemba is settling in well since the DR Congo defender joined Marseille in a free transfer this July. The 28-year-old let his contract with FC Porto expire after four years with the Portuguese giants, and has played every minute of OM’s six Ligue 1 games this season.
Igor Tudor has benefitted greatly from the former Newcastle United enforcer’s reading of the game as his right-sided centre-back. Mbemba will now pose a threat for Tottenham as they attack on Wednesday night through his strong ability to step in and intercept passes.
Eric Dier (CB): Defender threatening England recall with north London form
Eric Dier is threatening to force his way back into Gareth Southgate’s England plans ahead of the Qatar World Cup. The 45-cap centre-back, who has not featured for the Three Lions since November 2020, has been the rock of Conte’s backline in north London this season.
He has regularly dealt with all danger in the air, provided the last line of defence in front of Lloris and been vastly more comfortable in possession than his defensive colleagues. Dier has also given a goal threat at the top of the pitch, and created a few telling opportunities.
Cristian Romero (CB): Argentine back to showing why Spurs retained defender
Cristian Romero is already back to showing why Tottenham paid Atalanta £42.5m to retain the Argentine after his initial loan. Spurs agreed a five-year contract with the defender this August, after which he helped to solidify their play out from the back against rivals Fulham.
Tottenham are a much more composed unit with the 24-year-old sitting beside Dier in the defence. Romero also provides added aggression to set the tone for how Spurs want to set out their backline, snapping into challenges to assert his command in matches throughout.
Nuno Tavares (LWB): Arsenal loanee flourishing after securing Marseille move
Nuno Tavares has been flourishing in France since Marseille hired the 22-year-old on loan from Tottenham’s fierce rivals, Arsenal. The Portuguese has relished an attacking presence on the left-hand channel under Tudor to net three goals during his first six Ligue 1 outings.
The left-back – who the Gunners paid Benfica £7m for last August – had only scored twice in his senior career before arriving at the Stade Velodrome. His pace has also allowed the Lisbon native to lay claim to a starting spot, whilst helping offer OM their attacking width.
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg (CM): Box-to-box star in combined Tottenham, Marseille XI
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg would offer a stellar box-to-box presence in a combined Tottenham and Marseille XI. Conte has seen the 27-year-old react well to Rodrigo Bentancur and Yves Bissouma joining Spurs this year to remain an undroppable and key part of his Spurs side.
The Denmark international relentlessly works hard off the ball, has produced a number of surging runs, holds solid defensive positions and spreads play well. Hojbjerg’s clever balls out from the centre have allowed Tottenham to attack, while offering two goals this term.
Valentin Rongier (CM): Marseille vice-captain is indisputable under Tudor
Valentin Rongier has fully justified becoming Marseille’s vice-captain with a raft of displays that make him an indisputable part of Tudor’s team. OM president Pablo Longoria has also hailed his performances as ‘exemplary’, via Le10 Sport, as he ‘embodies the values of OM’.
Tottenham will be wary of Rongier when they face Marseille in the Champions League, as the Frenchman battles valiantly for possession – on the ground and in the air. The 27-year-old also plays a key creative role in the Phoceens squad to pull the strings from the centre.
Dejan Kulusevski (CAM): Swede is shining in north London to make Spurs tick
Dejan Kulusevski has been shining in north London so far this season with the Swede often the one making Spurs tick in attack. The 22-year-old has regularly looked the most likely to make something happen for his team, rewarded with a goal and two assists in six matches.
His decision-making also appears much more polished than after his winter arrival on loan from Juventus this January. While Kulusevski has proven a regular threat in transitions and with his surging presence to deliver perfectly weighted passes for his teammates to attack.
Alexis Sanchez (ST): Former Arsenal star shining after Marseille arrival from Inter
Former Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez has been shining since his arrival at Marseille in a free transfer in August. Les Phoceens agreed terms with the Chilean after Inter Milan and Sanchez agreed to terminate his contract at the San Siro following three years at the club.
The 33-year-old is already Marseille’s joint-top scorer with Tavares on three goals over his first five Ligue 1 appearances. Even though Sanchez – who won the FA Cup twice whilst at the Emirates Stadium – has only started during three of his outings under Tudor to date.
Harry Kane (ST): Tottenham star headlines attack of combined XI with Marseille
Harry Kane is looking the sharpest he has looked all season so far ahead of Tottenham and Marseille meeting on Wednesday to headline a combined XI for the Champions League tie. The 29-year-old hit his fifth goal in six Premier League outings to beat Fulham on Saturday.
The England international also tested Bernd Leno a number of times, and created chances for his Spurs teammates to attempt. Kane has stepped up for Spurs a number of times this term, but has lacked consistency to start the season and will look to push on against OM.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
