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Can Spurs win the Champions League?

3 min read
by Editor
After finishing fifth, third and second in the table during Mauricio Pochettino’s first three seasons in charge, Spurs fans were hoping that this could be the year that their team finally topped the Premier League and lifted the famous trophy. It hasn’t quite worked out like that. While it is still technically possible that Spurs […]

After finishing fifth, third and second in the table during Mauricio Pochettino’s first three seasons in charge, Spurs fans were hoping that this could be the year that their team finally topped the Premier League and lifted the famous trophy.

It hasn’t quite worked out like that. While it is still technically possible that Spurs could catch runaway leaders Manchester City, it doesn’t seem all that likely. City went into the final round of league fixtures in February with a 20-point lead over Tottenham, with three other clubs – Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool – all better placed to challenge the leaders.

There is no disguising the fact that this is a disappointment, but heading into the last two months of the season, Tottenham still have a chance to turn this season into a stunning success – by lifting the Champions League trophy. Bookmakers and football punters seem divided on the chances of a Spurs triumph. Pochettino’s men are generally regarded as sixth or seventh favourites for the competition, but this means that Tottenham fans wanting to bet on Stakers for their team to achieve European glory should be able to do so at some tempting odds.

For Spurs fans, the Champions League has provided plenty of highs to make up for the underwhelming Premier League campaign. Being drawn in a group that included Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund was a tough break, but the way that Spurs cruised to qualification was remarkable. The highlight of the group stage was undoubtedly the 3-1 home victory over Real Madrid, though earning a point in Spain was just as impressive.

Having topped their group, things haven’t got any easier for Tottenham. In the Champions League, it is natural that the challenges grow harder in each round, but a last-16 tie against Juventus was about as tough as they come. When they found themselves 2-0 down to the Italian champions after nine minutes, it seemed that their European dream was about to crumble to dust. However, one of this team’s many qualities is their durability and fight. Riding their luck at times, Spurs clawed their way back into the fixture with guts and enterprising spirit to take a 2-2 draw into the second leg at Wembley in March.

To stake a realistic claim as one of Europe’s top clubs, Spurs had to show themselves the equal of the continent’s best, and by going three games unbeaten against last season’s Champions League finalists not only makes a statement about Tottenham’s European credentials but is also a huge psychological boost to the club, players and supporters.

Of course, the second leg will be a tough test. Juventus will employ all of their vast experience of knock-out European football, not to mention their impressive squad depth, to force their way back into the game. Holding them off will be an important test of a quality that Spurs have not shown enough of so far under Pochettino, and what they will need to develop if they are to lift the Champions League trophy is the ability to close out games.

Tottenham’s strength is their high-pressing style and well-organised defence. They smother opponents in their own half, and with one of Europe’s top strikers in Harry Kane in their line-up, they convert a healthy percentage of their chances. However, their style of play requires intense concentration right to the final whistle and makes it harder for them to close out games than for teams whose approach is based on a possession-oriented philosophy.

If they can develop that ability to close out fixtures in which they are ahead, starting with the second leg against Juventus, they will become even more formidable opponents in the final rounds of the Champions League. Another factor in their favour is the arrival of Brazilian winger Lucas Moura from Paris Saint-Germain. Moura’s ability to run with the ball at pace will terrify opposition defences and give Tottenham’s sometimes cautious attacking play an edge of unpredictability that could prove to be a handy wildcard in the later rounds.

Can Tottenham lift their first trophy since 2008 and write the club’s name into the annals of European football history? Their performances against Real and Juventus suggest that the answer to that question is yes. It will be tough, and like all Champions League winners, they will need a dose of luck along the way, but if they continue to perform as they have done so far in Europe this season, there is every chance that Pochettino’s side can achieve glory in May.

All views and opinions expressed in this article are the views and opinions of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of The Fighting Cock. We offer a platform for fans to commit their views to text and voice their thoughts. Football is a passionate game and as long as the views stay within the parameters of what is acceptable, we encourage people to write, get involved and share their thoughts on the mighty Tottenham Hotspur.