Does anyone actually want to play Champions League football next season?
Arsenal lost three games in a row – against Brighton, Crystal Palace and Southampton – before bouncing back at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night.
Tottenham Hotspur will have driven Antonio Conte to distraction with their performance against Graham Potter’s Seagulls last time out, steam pouring out the Italian’s ears and jets of fire spurting from his flaring nostrils.
Manchester United, in victory over Norwich City, looked about as convincing as Dick Van Dyke attempting a Danny Dyer impression. Even Chelsea – European champions less than 12 months ago – have conceded eight goals in their last two home league games.
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With six matches remaining, Tottenham remain in pole position. Ahead of Arsenal on goal difference, three points clear of United, five above West Ham.
And while their run-in is hardly the most straightforward – Liverpool away, Arsenal at home and a Burnley side fighting tooth and nail for survival – Antonio Conte’s side have Champions League qualification in their own two hands.
Perform like they have done for much of the last two months between now and May 22nd and Spurs will be gracing the biggest of stages once again, for the first time since losing to Liverpool in Madrid three years ago.
And Conte will not need reminding of the benefits that Champions League football brings. Greater funds, and a renewed pulling power.
Two factors that could come in very handy when chasing transfer targets a la Hellas Verona’s £25 million midfield colossus Antonin Barak (Tuttomercatoweb).
“I want to finish the season well, score as many goals and assists and get as many points as possible,” explains Barak, the top-scoring midfielder in Serie A this season with ten to his name.
“Then I would like to play in the Champions League.”
Of the three clubs linked with Barak since the turn of the year, Spurs are clearly better positioned than West Ham or Newcastle. Though, having said that, the Hammers can grab a seat of their own at Europe’s top table by triumphing in the Europa League.
Newcastle are a team on the up under Eddie Howe, bankrolled by Saudi Arabian billionaires and pushing for a top-half finish. A remarkable achievement, when you consider they looked destined for relegation only a couple of months ago.
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But it’s Champions League football Barak wants. Newcastle, for all their riches, cannot offer that at such an early stage of their development.
Tottenham, however, can. Or, at least, they should.
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