Tonight’s reports:
That’s the lot for tonight – thanks for reading – goodbye.
“The right decision given the way they assess offsides with the line technology.”
And that’s my point, the way they “assess offsides with the line technology” is far from infallible, and in any sane sport, the benefit of the doubt would go to the attacking team in such a marginal case.
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“The ball going backwards doesn’t mean anything - you can be offside from a ball played backwards,” emails Neil.
(Yes, that is news to me.)
“And the deflection off defender - also doesn’t count or change anything - only if a deliberate action by the defender.
“Third point is Kane would not have been offside if he was behind the ball - that’s the photo they showed where he was in front of it - seemingly taking the front of the ball as well from what I saw.
“The length of time it took was farcical but it seemed the right decision given the way they assess offsides with the line technology.”
Naturally there’s some discussion of the technicalities of that offside decision … regardless of the factors of the ball going back / ball hitting defender etc. – I still remain unconvinced that the VAR photo, with the lines included, definitively proves that Kane is in an offside position.
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Match report: Napoli 3-0 Rangers
Not a good evening for Barcelona. The accountants are going to be doing their nuts.
Conte speaks to BT Sport, firstly on the disallowed goal: “The ball was in front of Kane … and the goal is a goal. I don’t understand VAR, on the line that they put … it’s very difficult to comment on this decision.
“VAR is creating damage, a lot of damage … We have to accept. I want to see if we stay in another stadium, another big team, if they are ready to disallow this type of goal. I’d like to know this.”
Conte feels injustice? “Yes, I feel a lot of injustice. I repeat: I don’t like this type of situation. Because I see not positive things.
“The [red] card, all the people come inside [on to the pitch] after the decision, to disallow the goal, then he [the referee] came to give me a red card, maybe because I was the more popular person into the pitch.
“The second half was positive. We played with a great intensity, I think we deserved to win. At the end, I don’t know what happened.
We need one point, but I don’t understand why we have to wait one game when we can finish the qualification in this game.
“When you invent this type of situation [the VAR decision] … It’s incredible, you create a lot of damage of the club, you also you create problems.”
Marcus Edwards, the former Tottenham player who scored for Sporting tonight, speaks to Matt Smith on BT Sport: “Crazy game. Dramatic towards the end. It [the offside decision for Kane’s goal] looked tight. It worked in our favour.
“It’s crazy for me [to score]. All my family and friends are here supporting me … I wasn’t going to celebrate, but I couldn’t help myself. It took me a long time to get here.
“I just go out there and try and play my football … I can’t put it into words. Everyone here’s supporting me.”
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Hmm. Yeah as Doherty said, it is impossible to see how that is adjudged offside. Emerson nods it backwards, it flicks (forwards) off the defender, and Kane scores. So no, I cannot explain how the VAR people came up with that one.
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I need to see it again. On BT Sport, Matt Smith said Kane was the one adjudged offside by a fraction. I don’t think it could have been Emerson as he may have been fractionally ahead of the defenders when he headed it, but definitely not (surely) when the cross was played.
@LukeMcLaughlin - Luke, I’m a Spurs and VAR fan, but I don’t understand it. The ball went backwards and off a Sporting player… can you explain?
— Ben Mallett (@benjmallett) October 26, 2022
“Did Hoddle feel the same way in 2019 when the same thing happened to Man City against Spurs?” emails Phil Grey. “Did he feel fans were robbed of the joy of celebration then?”
I have no idea.
John Brewin reports from Tottenham’s momentarily thrilling but ultimately disappointing night:
Tottenham’s Matt Doherty speaks to BT Sport: “Yeah, of course, I think you can see by the celebrations, we thought we’d won it … I don’t really know what happened at the end.
“I thought it went backwards and then hit a defender … I’m going to have to look at the rule, because there’s a few of us in there who don’t have a clue what happened.
“If I’m being honest we didn’t play that well ... they nullified us quite well in the first half … it’s still in our hands, it’s not how we wanted the night to go, but it’s still in our hands.”
Why can’t Spurs start matches as strongly as they finished? “I wish we kind of knew … we are analyse our games, we are watching a lot of video to work out how we can perform for 90 minutes, the way we know we can perform.”
Do they need to be ‘let off the leash’? “I think every team is a bit like that, when you’ve got nothing to lose you kind of go for it, gung-ho mentality … I think it’s clear to see we want to be playing the way we played in the second half for 90 minutes
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On BT Sport, Glenn Hoddle is having a good go at VAR, saying that it is robbing fans of the joy of celebrating goals. He is not wrong. That should have been a special moment for Tottenham … and the offside decision was marginal at best.
(I’m awaiting reaction from Conte, or someone at Spurs …)
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Groups A, B, C and D
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Napoli | 5 | 16 | 15 |
| 2 | Liverpool | 5 | 9 | 12 |
| 3 | Ajax | 5 | -7 | 3 |
| 4 | Rangers | 5 | -18 | 0 |
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Club Brugge | 5 | 3 | 10 |
| 2 | FC Porto | 5 | 4 | 9 |
| 3 | Atletico Madrid | 5 | -3 | 5 |
| 4 | Bayer Leverkusen | 5 | -4 | 4 |
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bayern Munich | 5 | 14 | 15 |
| 2 | Inter Milan | 5 | 5 | 10 |
| 3 | Barcelona | 5 | -2 | 4 |
| 4 | Plzen | 5 | -17 | 0 |
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tottenham Hotspur | 5 | 1 | 8 |
| 2 | Sporting | 5 | 0 | 7 |
| 3 | Eintracht Frankfurt | 5 | -2 | 7 |
| 4 | Marseille | 5 | 1 | 6 |
In a season of maddening inconsistency for Jürgen Klopp he has at least found familiar comfort in the Champions League. Liverpool secured their place in the knockout stages with a game to spare, their troubled away form and injury problems forgotten as qualification was wrapped up with an ultimately comfortable defeat of Ajax.
If Sporting and Frankfurt were to draw, then a draw for Spurs in Marseille would be enough to win the group with nine points. If either Sporting of Frankfurt win, they’d be on 10 points, so Spurs would need a victory to top the group with 11. And in the case of a positive result either way in Sporting v Frankfurt, they would need a point to be assured of second place. Lose, and Marseille would be through with nine points.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tottenham Hotspur | 5 | 1 | 8 |
| 2 | Sporting | 5 | 0 | 7 |
| 3 | Eintracht Frankfurt | 5 | -2 | 7 |
| 4 | Marseille | 5 | 1 | 6 |
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The VAR drama, combined across London and Madrid there, was a shambles. The referee had blown the final whistle in Madrid before going to the TV screen and giving a penalty to the home side.
In London, Tottenham’s riotous celebrations after Kane’s goal were cut short by an interminably long VAR check and the goal that would have sealed their place in the last 16 was eventually chalked off for offside. So they will need a result in Marseille to go through.
Full-time scores
Ajax 0-3 Liverpool
Napoli 3-0 Rangers
Club Brugge 0-4 Porto
Atletico Madrid 2-2 Leverkusen
Inter 4-0 Plzen
Barcelona 0-3 Bayern Munich
Frankfurt 2-1 Marseille
Tottenham 1-1 Sporting
Hahahaha! WOW! Carrasco’s penalty is saved by Hradecky … and then a follow-up header hits the bar from one of Carrasco’s teammates … and the rebound bounces back off Carrasco! Atletico ARE out! But even then, the referee (I think) asks to check that Hradecky had not come off his line. Incredible. Farcical. Football.
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Carrasco has a penalty for Atletico … Let’s face it, this is a farce.
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And wait! It looks like the referee has given a penalty to Atletico … having blown the final whistle?
Disallowed goal! Kane's strike for Spurs is ruled out.
No goal!
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What the hell is going on at Tottenham? This VAR check is taking all night.
Full-time! Atletico 2-2 Leverkusen
Atletico are out of the Champions League.
Could this be VAR-ed off? Emerson sent a header across, after a deep cross to the far post, and Kane snaffled the chance with aplomb. But is Emerson offside? It’s taking time …
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Goal! Tottenham 2-1 Sporting (Kane 95)
It’s there!
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90 min + 2: Bentancur is teed up by Bryan Gil and he blazes his shot over the crossbar! A waste.
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90 min: Lloris makes a very smart stop Fatawu Issahaku! It was a bending shot from distance that bounced just in front of the Frenchman.
Groups A and D could hardly be more different. There’s a 15-point gap between table-toppers Napoli and Rangers with a game still to play … but in Group D, just two points separate Spurs, Sporting, Frankfurt and Marseille.
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87 min: Spurs are pushing now. Dier glancers a header wide with Bentancur desperately trying to get on the end of it at the far post.
Marseille string together a lovely attacking move in Frankfurt, and only some desperate defending keeps them out.
Tottenham will go to Marseille on the final day of the group stage … and as it stands they will be duking it out for a spot in the last 16.
Goal! Napoli 3-0 Rangers (Ostigard 80)
A belting header from the young Norway international from a corner. But desperately poor defending from Rangers.
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Goal! Tottenham 1-1 Sporting (Bentancur)
Perisic swings in a corner, and Bentancur climbs highest to nod in the equaliser! Excellent header. Adan came for it, but never looked likely to punch it or catch it. Can Tottenham turn it around and book their spot in the last 16?
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75 min: Hugo Lloris makes a smart stop for Spurs from Flávio Nazinho of Sporting, who has recently come off the bench … the same player misses a sitter, with the goal gaping, a minute or two later after Lloris is forced into another save this time from Pedro Porro. Worrying signs for Tottenham.
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The goals have dried up to a certain extent in the second half across these games … I’m sure there will be more along in a minute.
Napoli remain two goals to the good against Rangers. In a hunt for positives for the Scottish side, I must say their orange away kit makes a nice contrast against the traditional light blue of Napoli.
Sarah Rendell is live-blogging Chelsea v Vllaznia in the Women’s Champions League right here. “Chelsh” are 5-0 up.
In London, Romero gets a prolonged finger-wagging in his direction from the referee for a spicy studs-up challenge in midfield. And a yellow card.
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Atletico are dominating Leverkusen as they hunt for a goal or two in Madrid. As I mentioned it is 2-2 there.
“Re: the Spurs question – I would imagine losing a beloved assistant coach would cast an almighty funk over any squad,” emails Harriet Osborn. “Does that not correspond with their recent loss of form?”
So barring miracles (from an Ajax perspective) Liverpool are through with Napoli in Group A. Bayern and Inter are also through in Group C. Group D is tight, with Spurs and Frankfurt on seven points in the live table, and Sporting with nine points at the top. In Group B, if it stays 2-2 between Atletico and Leverkusen, then Porto would be confirmed as into the last 16 along with Club Brugge.
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Liverpool 3-0 up now!
Goal: Atletico 2-2 Leverkusen (De Paul)
Rodrigo De Paul, the Argentinian midfielder, bends in a lovely leveller from the edge of the box, soon after coming on in Madrid.
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Liverpool go 2-0 up. Nunez with a fine header.
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“David Wall’s assessment is spot on for this United fan,” writes Matthew Richman, “But as a fan of Conte I cannot quite pinpoint where things have gone wrong at Spurs. He’s a manager who has previously shown such an ability to adapt to new surroundings; one has to wonder if something behind the scenes is throwing the squad off.”
Second half kick-off!
Can Spurs hit back and book a last-16 spot?
Reading:
Listening:
“Hi Luke,” begins David Wall on email.
“When Conte took over at Spurs last year there was a thought that they had got one over on Manchester United. It was obvious at that point that Solskjaer was going to lose his job and a lot of people thought United should have gone earlier to try to get Conte when he was available. I wonder what Spurs and United fans think about that a year on?
“Of course in certain respects there’s a lot for Spurs supporters to be happy about, they’re almost into the knock out stages of the Champions League, they’re third in the league, etc. But on the other hand there seems to be growing dissatisfaction with the style of play and general performance level. Plus Conte has started complaining about the strength of his squad and the level they can compete at.
“In contrast, despite a shocking start, I get the impression that United supporters are pleased that they took their time to think about it (even though last season was dire) and went for Ten Hag. There is already an improvement in style and there seems to be a sense that the club will be improved for the long term if he’s shown a bit of patience.
“Perhaps that is short-term bias as United have had a decent week whereas Spurs haven’t at all. But I wonder if supporters of the respective clubs would swap managers right now if given the chance.”
Half-time scores
Frankfurt 2-1 Marseille
Spurs 0-1 Sporting
Barca 0-2 Bayern Munich
Atletico 1-2 Leverkusen
Ajax 0-1 Liverpool
Napoli 2-0 Rangers
Barcelona have a penalty. Foul on Lewandowski by De Ligt. But the referee, Anthony Taylor, is having a check on the screen … and it’s no penalty! De Ligt got a little touch on the ball. Lewandowski looks appalled with the decision!
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Liverpool have scored against Ajax. Salah scored it. Scott Murray has the story:
Disallowed goal for Sporting!
Coates with a cheeky handball, from a corner, trying to disguise it as a header. The ref is having none of it and the Uruguayan is booked. But Spurs are on the back foot and no mistake.
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Goal No 1 for Napoli’s Simeone. Rangers goalie McGregor looking suitably ashen-faced.
And another!
McGregor rooted to the spot.
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Goal: Barcelona 0-2 Bayern Munich (Choupo-Moting)
Barça break quickly, Gnabry slides a ball to the on-rushing Choupo-Moting, who slides a shot through Ter Stegen’s legs. That is five goals in four appearances for Choupo-Moting.
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Goal: Atletico 1-2 Leverkusen (Hudson-Odoi 29)
It’s all happening. Callum Hudson-Odoi puts the Germans back in front.
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Goal: Frankfurt 2-1 Marseille (Muani 22)
Poor defending from Marseille allows Kolo Muani to exchange passes with a teammate and sidefoot in after a quick counterattack. “With the Frankfurters he’s on a roll,” observes pun specialist James Richardson, of Muani.
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Goal: Frankfurt 1-1 Marseille (Guendouzi 22)
It’s a doozy from Matteo Guendouzi – the former Gunners man meets a cross first-time and belts it into the roof of the net on the volley from point-blank range.
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Goal! Tottenham 0-1 Sporting (Edwards 22)
The Tottenham alumnus, Marcus Edwards, embarks on a storming run through the centre of midfield. The Spurs defenders back off, Edwards hits a low shot which is not the sweetest you’ll ever see, but flashes across Lloris and into the corner of the net.
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Goal: Atletico 1-1 Levekusen (Carrasco)
All square in Madrid, Carrasco hits a daisy-cutter from the edge of the area which sneaks in to the bottom corner.
Goal! Napoli 2-0 Rangers (Simeone 11)
Crikey. That is yet another high, high, high quality goal by Napoli. This time it comes from the left wing. Mario Rui whips in a cross, which is perfect for Simeone, making a run to the near post, to meet with a diving header that arrows unerringly into the bottom corner.
The glum faces of the Rangers defenders tell the story.
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Goal! Napoli 1-0 Rangers (Simeone 11)
Wonderful goal. Di Lorenzo bends in a curling pass, in behind the defence, the Argentinian Simeone times his run to perfection and bangs a low shot inside the far post from a tight angle. McGregor, in the Rangers goal, shakes his head as if to say: what are we supposed to do about that?
Napoli are almost in again immediately. They are playing with so much confidence at the moment.
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Goal: Barcelona 0-1 Bayern Munich (Mane 10)
Sadio Mane gets Bayern on the board.
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Goal: Atletico 0-1 Leverkusen (Diaby 9)
A lovely curling finish by Diaby, to match a high-quality pass stabbed through behind the defence by Hlozek for the German side.
On BT Sport, James Horncastle tells a story from last season: Apparently Luciano Spalletti’s Fiat Panda was stolen and the Napoli Ultras said they would get the car back for him, but only if he left the club. Horncastle tells the story as a means of illustrating the extent to which Spalletti has won the fans over on this amazing winning run.
Goal: Frankfurt 1-0 Marseille (Kamada 3)
Daichi Kamada strokes in a handsome right-footed finish, capitalising on a lovely stepover by Jesper Lindstrøm, and that makes things even tighter in Group D, with Frankfurt drawing level with Sporting on seven points. Spurs have eight.
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First half kick-off!
Wednesday night’s 8pm Big Cup kick-offs are go.
The teams are out on the pitch (pitches). Hugo Lloris is doing the honours as captain of Tottenham tonight.
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Spurs fans – what are your thoughts before tonight’s match? You can email me.
Full time! Club Brugge 0-4 Porto
Brugge were already qualified, and now goals from Taremi (2), Evanilson and Eustáquio leave Porto sitting nicely in second place in Group B. If Atletico do not beat Leverkusen at home, Porto are through.
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Full time! Inter 4-0 Viktoria Plzen
That’s the lot at San Siro. Inter are in the last 16 with a game to spare.
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Here’s a photo of Steve Coppell and Thin Lizzy’s Phil Lynott. Why? Well, why not?
Just Utd legend Steve Coppell with Thin Lizzys Phil Lynott....#mufc pic.twitter.com/lwI4eVh8Iw
— 🇾🇪Utd Before Fergie🇾🇪 (@UtdBeforFergie) October 26, 2022
Goal: Inter 4-0 Plzen (Lukaku)
The former Manchester United, Chelsea and Everton and forward is back! Soon after coming off the bench he plays a lovely one-two with Correa and belts a smart finish into the bottom corner. He’s been out for a couple of months with a thigh injury – Edin Dzeko, who is on the subs’ bench, is among the teammates who are visibly delighted for their pal.
The commentators ask why Chelsea were incapable of working out how to use Lukaku’s obvious strengths.
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Barcelona v Bayern Munich teams
Hector Bellerin, Marcos Alonso and Franck Kessie are the three players to come into the Barça team this evening. For the German giants, Sadio Mane and Noussair Mazraoui start, with Benjamin Pavard and Kingsley Coman dropping to the bench.
Barcelona: Ter Stegen, Bellerin, Kounde, Alonso, Balde, Kessie, Busquets, de Jong, Dembele, Lewandowski, Gonzalez. Substitutes: Pique, Fati, Torres, Jordi Alba, Raphinha, Garcia, Pena, Gavi, Torre, Tenas.
Bayern Munich: Ulreich, Mazraoui, Upamecano, de Ligt, Davies, Kimmich, Goretzka, Gnabry, Musiala, Mane, Choupo-Moting. Substitutes: Pavard, Coman, Sabitzer, Muller, Schenk, Gravenberch, Tel, Stanisic.
Referee: Anthony Taylor (England)
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Eintracht Frankfurt v Marseille teams
Eintracht Frankfurt: Trapp, Jakic, Smolcic, N’Dicka, Ebimbe, Kamada, Sow, Lenz, Lindstrom, Gotze, Muani. Substitutes: Onguene, Alidou, Rode, Borre, Alario, Chandler, Grahl, Pellegrini, Ramaj.
Marseille: Pau Lopez, Mbemba, Balerdi, Gigot, Clauss, Rongier, Veretout, Tavares, Guendouzi, Harit, Sanchez. Substitutes: Ngapandouetnbu, Gerson, Payet, Suarez, Under, Kolasinac, Kabore, Blanco.
Referee: Jesus Gil Manzano (Spain)
Atletico Madrid v Bayer Leverkusen teams
Atletico Madrid: Oblak, Molina, Gimenez, Hermoso, Mandava, Correa, Kondogbia, Witsel, Carrasco, Morata, Griezmann. Substitutes: Grbic, De Paul, Joao Felix, Matheus Cunha, Savic, Saul, Felipe, Diez, Barrios, Mestre.
Bayer Leverkusen: Hradecky, Kossounou, Tapsoba, Hincapie, Frimpong, Andrich, Amiri, Bakker, Diaby, Hlozek, Hudson-Odoi. Substitutes: Tah, Paulinho, Schick, Adli, Fosu-Mensah, Azhil, Lomb, Lunev.
Referee: Clement Turpin (France)
Napoli v Rangers teams
Osimhen, Kvaratskhelia, Zielinski all on the bench for Napoli. Spalletti is taking the chance to rest some key players and has made six changes.
Four changes for Rangers with Ridvan Yilmaz, James Sands, Scott Wright and Alfredo Morelos coming in.
Napoli: Meret, Di Lorenzo, Ostigard, Kim, Mario Rui, Ndombele, Lobotka, Elmas, Politano, Simeone, Raspadori. Substitutes: Juan Jesus, Osimhen, Lozano, Idasiak, Olivera, Zielinski, Zerbin, Zanoli, Gaetano, Kvaratskhelia, Zambo, Boffelli.
Rangers: McGregor, Tavernier, King, Davies, Yilmaz, Lundstram, Sands, Scott Wright, Tillman, Kent, Morelos. Substitutes: Colak, Davis, Matondo, McCrorie, Sakala, Barisic, McLaughlin, Arfield, Devine, Lowry, Allan.
Referee: Halil Meler (Turkey)
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Antonio Conte has made six changes to his Tottenham team following the defeat by Newcastle on Sunday.
Ben Davies, Matt Doherty, Pierre-Emile Højbjerg, Cristian Romero, Ivan Perisic, and Lucas Moura all come into the starting side.
Tottenham Hotspur v Sporting teams
Tottenham: Lloris, Romero, Dier, Davies, Doherty, Hojbjerg, Bentancur, Perisic, Lucas Moura, Son, Kane. Substitutes: Gil Salvatierra, Sessegnon, Forster, Spence, Tanganga, Sarr, White, Emerson, Lenglet, Sanchez, Bissouma, Skipp.
Sporting: Adan, Inacio, Coates, Matheus Reis, Porro, Ugarte, Morita, Nuno Santos, Trincao, Edwards, Paulinho. Substitutes: St Juste, Alexandropoulos, Israel, Rochinha, Issahaku, Andre Paulo, Arthur Gomes, Marsa, Nazinho, Cabral, Fernandes, Essugo.
Referee: Danny Makkelie (Holland)
Here's how we line-up to face @Sporting_CP! 👇#UCL pic.twitter.com/hPHWYyr83X
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) October 26, 2022
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Goal: Inter 3-0 Viktoria Plzen (Dzeko 66)
Into the last half an hour at San Siro and Inter now lead 3-0 against Viktoria Plzen, or Pilsen if you prefer.
I did the tour at the Pilsner Urquell brewery a few years ago, which is a stone’s throw from the stadium that has seen some illustrious visitors in this year’s competition: Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Inter.
The tour is great, too, and ends up in the cellars where you get to try some unfiltered beer straight from the barrel. Plzen need to get back there and drown their sorrows. It’s Barcelona that will finish third in Group C and head for the Europa League.
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Preamble
Who needs what? That is the question on everyone’s lips. It’s certainly the question in my mind as I frantically fire up Google and head straight for uefa.com’s handy Champions League qualification permutations article.
Tottenham will qualify from Group D should they beat Sporting in north London this evening, and they will win the group should Marseille be beaten by Eintracht Frankfurt in the group’s other match.
In Group A, Napoli are already through and Liverpool will join them if they avoid defeat at Ajax. Scott Murray will have the latest from Liverpool’s match right here. Rangers could still earn themselves a place in the Europa League although a result against Luciano Spalletti’s high-flying Napoli at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona looks a big ask.
In Group C, Internazionale are 2-0 up on Viktoria Plzen with about half an hour to go and heading for the last 16. The other match in that group, that kicks off at 8pm, is the small matter of Barcelona v already-qualified Bayern Munich. But if Inter close out this win against Czech opposition it’s ‘Goodnight Vienna’ for Barça regardless.
In Group B, Club Brugge are already through and Porto look most likely to join them, especially as they currently lead their Belgian opponents 1-0.
Inevitable mistakes can be reported to our customer services team via email or Twitter. Let’s get it on!
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