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Tottenham under Mauricio Pochettino's guidance have come on leaps and bounds. Even the saltiest of Arsenal fans can't deny that. But one thing still eludes this era of revolution in the Spurs ranks: getting their hands on silverware.
Many have tipped the FA Cup to be Spurs' best chance this season, with simple draws such as AFC Wimbledon and Newport County. However, their shaky performance in South Wales almost sent them out, so they must look for another avenue towards a trophy and with City out of sight in the league, the Champions League might well be their best chance to achieve their goal.
But with Europe's best sides remaining in the competition can they possibly go all the way and be victorious in Kiev on May 26th. Well, I'm not sure about that but here are 10 reasons why they might have a better chance than you think:
#1 Wembley
Whilst the famous 'Wembley hoodoo" haunted Spurs during the start of the season after draws with Swansea and Burnley and a loss to Chelsea, Wembley has been made home by the Spurs team and their fans and was arguably key to a few recent victories - most notably their 2-0 dispatching of Mourinho's United and the dominant 1-0 win in the North London Derby.
Wembley gives Spurs the second biggest capacity left in the competition with the Nou Camp and FC Barcelona being the only larger stadium. No club, no matter how big, will want to face 90,000 fans in what would most likely be a very high-pressure game. More than this, however, will be the effect of just having experience at playing at a top European ground, week in, week out.
Going to places like the Nou Camp and the Allianz Arena, for instance, will be less daunting than it may have been if they were still at the smaller, yet to Spurs fans still lovable, old White Hart Lane.
#2 Group stage promise
After their dismal display in last season's group stage where they came 3rd in a group with Monaco, Bayer Leverkusen and CSKA Moscow, they managed a sensational campaign this year where Spurs ended up in 3rd and in the Europa League. They managed to top a group of 2 of Europe's finest teams, knocking reigning champions Real Madrid into 2nd place and leaving Dortmund with a Europa League campaign to contend with.
Pochettino and his team put in a string of excellent performances managing to win every game bar one and achieving the highest amount of points of anyone across all 8 groups (16 out of a possible 18). That is an outstanding achievement considering the improvement from one year to the next and considering the fact this was only Spurs' 3rd Champions League campaign since the turn of the century. This kind of experience and form will surely help Spurs as they approach the knockout stages.
#3 No new injuries
Whilst Spurs' squad has had many a setback so far this season, they go into their tie with Juventus with a relatively clean bill of health. The most notable absence in the last few months was centre-back, Toby Alderweireld, who had been out since the team's 3-1 win against Real Madrid on November 1st but his comeback and clean sheet in a full 90 minutes against Newport suggests he is ready to get back into regular first-team action pretty soon.
Alderweireld's long passing and defensive work were a big plus when he was in the side and this gives Spurs their first choice back three of Alderweireld, Vertonghen and Davinson Sanchez, freeing up Eric Dier to be used elsewhere. This also offers rotation option when Spurs play a back four.
Erik Lamela's 13-month hiatus with a hip injury was also a notable loss and his recent inclusion has been a big boost in the creative department giving a winger option to an otherwise pretty central attacking midfield. Another key man coming back recently is Victor Wanyama.
The Kenyan has been reintegrated back into the squad since mid-January and announced that he was back to his best with a stunning volley against Liverpool last Sunday.
Other notable injury comebacks include Harry Winks from an ankle problem and Serge Aurier with a calf issue. With little in the way of injuries as it stands, Tottenham will be able to put their best XI out especially when it comes to European games.
#4 Harry Kane
It would be difficult to write an article on Tottenham's chances without mentioning the goal-scoring machine that is Harry Kane. The Tottenham academy graduate has been on a hot run of goalscoring form since he got into the side under Tim Sherwood.
He has gone from strength to strength in the last couple of years claiming the Golden Boot in the last two seasons and is set to probably achieve this milestone again provided he can stay ahead of Mohamed Salah.
The 24-year old forward grabbed 6 goals during the group stage including an impressive hat-trick away in Cyprus against APOEL, which shows he's no stranger to a European goal too. Kane is certainly among the world's best strikers at this moment in time and will be crucial if Spurs are going to go all the way.
#5 Creative talent
In behind Harry Kane however, Tottenham have a plethora of creative talent waiting to put goals on a plate for the big man up top and often chip in with a few themselves now and then. One of these talents is youngster Dele Alli. The 21-year old has been in the Spurs team since his late teenage years and has been a sensation having 'only cost 5 mill' as the famous chant goes.
He was named Young Player of the Year in the Premier League last season and despite a small reduction in goals this season, Dele is still capable of creating something from nothing any time he receives the ball and can definitely chip in with a goal or two as he showed through his 2-goal performance against Real Madrid at Wembley. His youth certainly doesn't hinder him when it comes to big matches and he will be an important factor if Spurs can progress.
Someone who has seen a notable improvement this season is South Korean trickster Heung-Min Son. 'Sonny' has been on fire this season, particularly at Wembley where he was on a 5-game scoring streak which ended against United.
Nevertheless, he has been an amazing creative and attacking force, giving some width to the attack and taking on players directly, something which Alli and Eriksen struggle to do. Son grabbed Tottenham's first goal of this season's Champions League within 4 minutes against Dortmund and he will likely be important in their final game of this seasons campaign.
Last but not least of the regular starters is Christian Eriksen. The young Dane is a world-class technical player, who has been a keystone in the Spurs' side since he was signed post-Gareth Bale. His creative flair has been praised time and time again and the set-piece maestro will be key to Tottenham's chances of success.
He scored against Real Madrid in the group stage win and has grabbed 7 goals in this campaign to date in the league. Furthermore, he arguably has the most Champions League experience of anyone in the Spurs squad due to several group stage campaigns at Ajax as a youngster. Eriksen will be able to add quality technique to a pacey and creative attacking force and will be important for Spurs chances.
Away from the current starting three, Spurs have long-term hip injury recoveree, Erik Lamela and new signing, Lucas Moura. These two offer further width and pace to Spurs' attack to support the fullbacks and allow different systems and tactics to be played.
Lucas Moura put in a man of the match performance in last year's Champions League against Arsenal in a PSG victory, so he is no stranger to the competition or English opponents.
Lamela also had the experience previously at Roma, although this was limited and a few years ago now, but Tottenham have a full roster of Champions League quality talent and this will be invaluable as they approach the latter stages.
#6 Defensive solidity
Tottenham's recent revival has in no small part been due to their defensive stability with Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen providing a strong partnership over the past seasons.
The combination of Alderweireld's world-class passing range and Vertonghen sturdy, conventional defensive ability has allowed Tottenham to gain point's where previously their poor defence under the likes of Vedran Corluka and an ageing Michael Dawson.
This season, however, the centre back position has been boosted by 21-year old Davinson Sanchez. The £42 million record signing has added blistering pace to the position allowing him to rectify mistakes more than Vertonghen or Alderweireld could.
However, his young nature means these mistakes are all the more prevalent, costing Spurs in the 1-1 draw with West Brom this season.
Nevertheless, Spurs are stronger defensively than ever before and this will be crucial when coming up against the likes of Mbappe, Cavani and Neymar or Higuain and Dybala more appropriately at the minute.
#7 Hugo Lloris
In the goalkeeping department, Tottenham are equally strong. Long-term goalkeeper, Hugo Lloris has long considered amongst the world's best goalkeepers even when he was still at Lyon. But the French number 1 has continued to gain experience and has added to his outstanding shot-stopping ability with an improvement in handling and the development of his 'sweeper keeper' role.
Lloris has not only been a mainstay in the Tottenham team, but has been ever-present in France's national team side, winning 94 caps to date. He is hugely influential in Tottenham's side with 190 appearances and the club captainship (ahead of leaders like Vertonghen and Kane) show that he commands a great deal of respect from the back.
Whilst Lloris has been accused of being mistake prone and this isn't a far-reaching claim, he has been as solid as ever, as shown by Saturday's North London Derby when he sprung to save from Jack Wilshere after not really being called into action for the three-quarters of the match up until that point. And he will have to be just as solid if Spurs want to progress in Europe this year.
#8 Squad depth
Tottenham, over the last year or two, have managed to expand their squad with quality, either through signings or through giving youth an opportunity. Harry Winks and Kyle Walker-Peters are good examples of this youth promotion.
It has left Tottenham with a squad of at least 2 players in each position, and this will be essential when fighting on three fronts going into the back end of this season. The squad cover is as follows (in a 4-2-3-1 formation):
· GK: Hugo Lloris, Michel Vorm, Paulo Gazzaniga
· RB: Serge Aurier, Kieran Trippier, Kyle Walker-Peters
· CB: Toby Alderweireld, Davinson Sanchez, Juan Foyth (Not in the UCL squad)
· CB: Jan Vertonghen, Eric Dier
· LB: Danny Rose, Ben Davies, Kyle Walker-Peters, Jan Vertonghen
· CM: Victor Wanyama, Eric Dier
· CM: Mousa Dembele, Harry Winks, Moussa Sissoko
· AM: Heung-Min Son, Lucas Moura
· AM: Dele Alli, Moussa Sissoko
· AM: Christian Eriksen, Erik Lamela
· ST: Harry Kane, Fernando Llorente
#9 The manager
Mauricio Pochettino is one of the best young managers in the world right now and seems committed to the Tottenham project and to the players. The mutual faith between the squad and him have been a massive boost to the Spurs side.
Unlike the more dramatic counterparts Pochettino has, the Argentine is more reserved in the press room and brings a subtle confidence to Tottenham on and off the pitch. His emphasis on youth and astutely made signings has seen him build a squad capable of winning many trophies but of course, as I mentioned at the start, this has yet to be proven.
Pochettino has nevertheless produced a golden age of Tottenham as they head into their new stadium and any success will be in huge part a credit to their wonderful manager.
#10 The draw - Juventus
When Spurs were confirmed as group winners of Group H, they were confident of getting a good draw, as they would face second-placed sides, but with the likes of Basel and Sevilla available, Spurs drew last year's runners-up, Juventus. Whilst the draw could have been better, Juventus aren't the team they were last year.
After years of dominance domestically, they trail Napoli by one point. Whilst still clear of the pack, but Juve had galloped to the title in most years of their current period of dominance in Italy's Serie A.
They are still, without a doubt, a quality side, with a deadly strike partnership (pictured above) and quality like Miralem Pjanic, Sami Khedira, Blaise Matuidi and Alex Sandro, all have been at one time or another touted as one of the best in the world in their positions. Not forgetting Georgio Chiellini and Gianluigi Buffon, the two Italians have led Juventus to many a title over their years with the club.
Juve's philosophy has a heavy focus on solid defence, but as Spurs are one of the best attacking and creative teams left in the competition, it will be difficult to see Spurs not scoring over the two legs. As long as Vertonghen and Sanchez keep Dybala and Higuain at bay, Tottenham have a real chance to advance.
With Alli, Eriksen and Son attempting to pierce Juve's defence and a dynamite finisher like Harry Kane ready to take that one chance, Tottenham have a real chance in this encounter.
