Following a nightmare week in N17 with a host of injuries hurting Tottenham dearly, Pape Matar Sarr rose to the occasion at one of the world's most iconic stadiums. Travelling to the San Siro with real concerns in midfield with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg missing through suspension and Rodrigo Bentancur and Yves Bissouma in the treatment room, Antonio Conte had no choice but to opt for a midfield duo of Sarr and Oliver Skipp.
The head coach was asked in his pre-match press conference about the possibility of Eric Dier moving into midfield but he dismissed that as an option due to a lack of time after the Leicester City defeat. Those with concerns over the young pairing in their first Champions League starts needn't have worried though as they excelled in the middle of the park.
Tottenham may have lost the contest 1-0 following Brahim Diaz's seventh-minute strike but Conte can take positives from the defeat even though they didn't really test Ciprian Tatarusanu in the home goal. The biggest plus point for him was undoubtedly the performance of his two central midfielders.
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On a day when they could quite easily have become overawed by the magnitude of the contest, both Sarr and Skipp really stood up to the plate and more than made their case to Conte for the weeks ahead. What was noticeable during the game was that Sarr constantly demanded the ball from his more experienced teammates and used it extremely well when he was in possession, completing 49 of his 59 passes with five of those successful long balls from the six he attempted.
He didn't shrink when others may have and that is a sign of a very talented player indeed. His midfield partner, who has had a frustrating year through injury and a lack of regular opportunities to say the least, recaptured the form from the beginning of last season that saw him become one of the first names on the teamsheet for both Nuno Espirito Santo and Conte.
Showing glimpses of his previous best in the recent FA Cup fourth round win over Preston North End, Skipp built on it and more with some big tackles, five recoveries, two clearances and smart use of the ball as he played nine balls into the final third and completed 51 of his 55 passes. Sarr was very much the same as his midfielder counterpart, showcasing just what he can bring to Tottenham with two outstanding pieces of play in the space of a minute in the second half.
Picked out in a central role outside the AC Milan area, the Senegalese ace demonstrated his excellent vision and precise passing as he played a wonderful first-time ball out wide to Emerson Royal rather than choosing an easier option. It was bang on the money. That wasn't it from Sarr as seconds later he made a crucial intervention on the edge of his own box as AC Milan looked to punish the visitors.
In the right place at the right time to rob Diaz of the ball, the midfielder's expert defending exhibited both sides of his game and why he is rated so highly by those at Tottenham. Those moments of quality would not have gone unnoticed at all by Conte, who knew there and then that he could trust Sarr on the biggest stage of all despite a real lack of experience in the Champions League.
That moment of play also culminated in a round of applause from Harry Kane as the Spurs captain recognised just how vital it was from the player. More praise was to come Sarr and Skipp's way in Conte's post-match press conference as he waxed lyrical about the young duo, making it clear they have a big part to play in Tottenham's future but also in the present.
"About the two midfielders, I think that I'm really happy about the performance from Skippy and Pape Sarr. Honestly to play in this way in the Champions League and to play in the San Siro in this atmosphere, I think that normally it's tough for important players," outlined the 53-year-old.
"They played a really good game and I'm really happy. This type of performance make me more relaxed for the future because we have to consider that we could finish the season with only three midfielders, Pape Sarr, Skippy and Pierre Hojbjerg.
"To have this type of performance makes me more relaxed because I know that I can count on these two players 100% and I'm really happy for them."
When asked about Bissouma's injury and more on the young duo, he added: "About Bissouma he has a stress fracture in his ankle and when this type of situation happens you never know how long a time he needs to recover. In my mind, in this moment, is to consider three midfielders.
"To have this type of performance from Skippy and Pape Sarr makes me happy because I have seen a lot of improvement in these players and it means we are working very well with them. It means they are improving and for sure they will be the future for Tottenham but at the same time they will be the present.
"I have to consider them important players and with Pierre Hojbjerg we have only three midfielders and fingers crossed no injuries for the rest of the season and then we hope to recover before the end of the season Bissouma but we know about this situation I'm not sure what is the future and whether he'll be able this season."
The Champions League always brings out the best of the players, with Sarr and Skipp very much proving that point at the San Siro on Tuesday night. It was an evening that left Tottenham fans purring about the young duo and wanting to see even more.
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