Tottenham Hotspur were eliminated from the UEFA Champions League by Italian giants Juventus last night.
Tottenham Hotspur fans and players alike will be feeling depleted today, following last night’s second leg loss to Juventus at Wembley which saw them eliminated from this season’s UEFA Champions League.
It was a fascinating game from the word go as Spurs controlled the tempo for the first 45 minutes, eventually taking the lead courtesy of a well-earned goal from Son Heung-min. They were going up against a side who had not only reached the final less than 12 months prior but are also considered to be one of the greatest European clubs of all time.
The second half was clearly a nervous affair, as Spurs knew once Juve were able to stamp their authority on the game, it be difficult to stop. In the end, they wound up conceding two goals in quick succession, and they were not able to take the game to extra time.
The most bizarre thing to come out of last night’s result, though, is the notion that Tottenham ‘bottled it’. They were undone by two good pieces of play by what can be considered superior opposition, and while minor mistakes were made in the lead-up, they did not crumble in the face of adversity.
Instead, they took the game to Juventus and threw everything at the Italian giants. This was not like when Manchester City bowed out to Barcelona in the semi-finals a few years back and did not even attempt to pressure them – because Spurs came agonisingly close to pulling it back on several occasions.
Tottenham were not expected to progress from this tie and they gave Juve a much harder game than anyone anticipated. Italian sides are notoriously difficult to break down and Pochettino’s men still managed to score three goals across the two legs, and while that is hardly a consolation, it is something to build on for the future.
This is a young Spurs side with bucket loads of potential, and everyone can see that. Now that they have had this kind of experience under Pochettino in the knockout stages, they know what to rectify as they prepare to move into their new home following this stint at Wembley.
Opposition fans will joke about the ‘participation trophy’, but at the end of the day, English teams losing in Europe affects all of us.
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