Champions League: Juventes come-from-behind to beat Tottenham

Toby Alderweireld remains the only notable absentee for the Lillywhites while Juventus are without wingers Juan Cuadrado, Federico Bernardeschi and striker Mario Mandzukic.

Juventus, who have a lot more experience in their squad, looked like they would run away with the first leg after leading 2-0 just nine minutes into the game.

The Champions League knockout stages are now well underway and, with Manchester City nearly guaranteed a place in the quarter finals, all eyes this Wednesday (March 7) fall on Wembley Stadium, where Tottenham Hotspur take on Italian giants Juventus.

Those three minutes were the sharp end of football at the highest level: Gonzalo Higuain, scorer of both goals in the first leg, flicked out a leg to divert the ball past Hugo Lloris, then played Paulo Dybala through on goal and the 24-year-old finished with the calmness of a veteran. “We feel we have respect for the brand of football we show, they respect us in Europe we feel”. We are going to enjoy the game.

In fact, Juventus have not even conceded a goal in Serie A – Italy’s top division – since 30 December 2017 in a 3-1 victory over Hellas Verona.

While those around him looked flustered, the Belgian global maintained his composure and continued to collect the ball from deep and carry it past opponents with nonchalant ease, completing six of his seven take-ons in the game.

With the two teams tied on aggregate, Tottenham hold an advantage going into the second leg with two away goals.

Twelve minutes, four goals and Juventus were through, with plenty of energy in reserve for the latter stages.

Tottenham are set to omit Erik Lamela for their Champions League showdown against Juventus on Wednesday night as their Italian rivals Inter Milan work on a deal to sign him this summer, according to reports. One false step and people fear the worst but they don’t really take into account the quality of the other team.

There was one chance to force the game into extra time in the 90th.

But Harry Kane pulled a goal back and Higuain missed a second penalty, before Christian Eriksen’s equaliser rocked the Italian champions. Expect the runaway Premier League leaders to coast for most of the return encounter, with the odds reflecting City’s dominance.

“It’s obvious there was a certain amount of pessimism after the first leg”.

Tottenham was on the verge of its first Champions League quarterfinal in seven years, but a gut-punch five-minute span sent Spurs crashing out of the competition and Juventus on to the next round. He found space in the left pocket – a common theme in the first stanza – but his shot was parried away by Gianluigi Buffon.

Alderweirald did feature for the White Hart Lane outfit in the FA Cup against Newport County and Rochdale, however, his manager was not prepared to play him in his more competitive fixtures.