Tottenham face Juventus in the second leg of their Champions League tie on March 7.
Arsenal legend Martin Keown will have worried Tottenham Hotspur fans in his ‘Tackle Keown’ column on the Daily Mail website by suggesting Spurs could struggle in their second leg against Juventus.
Spurs earned an excellent 2-2 draw in Turin earlier this month, with away goals from Harry Kane and Christian Eriksen giving the north Londoners an excellent chance of knocking last season’s finalists out of the competition.
But a 2-2 draw with League One side Rochdale means Mauricio Pochettino’s men have another fixture to contend with just over a week before their clash against Juventus at Wembley.
Keown believes the added fixture could hinder Spurs in their quest for a place in the Champions League quarter finals, as well as stating that Arsenal’s bitter rivals are “capable” of an underwhelming display.
“Tottenham got two away goals against Juventus but their job is only half done,” Keown said. “They are capable of a disappointing performance and the Rochdale replay has created an extra game they did not need.”
Juve’s star striker Gonzalo Higuain is expected to return in time for the second-leg clash despite going off with an ankle injury against Torino on Sunday. The London Evening Standard reported that he is targeting a return on March 3 against Lazio.
Spurs must do a better job of coping with the Argentina international if they are to progress, after he scored a brace and should have had a hat-trick after missing a penalty in the first leg.
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