Tottenham fell tantalisingly short of reaching the Champions League quarter-finals after crashing out in heartbreaking fashion to Juventus.
They built on their 2-2 draw from the first leg by taking a 1-0 lead at home on Wednesday through Son Heung-min’s first-half goal, but quick-fire goals from Gonzalo Higuain and Paulo Dybala turned the tie on its head, ultimately seeing Juventus through.
Here’s a look at how the two managers fared.
STATS
Tottenham
Goals – 1
Shots – 23
Possession – 54%
Tackles – 12
Dribbles – 16
Juventus
Goals – 2
Shots – 9
Possession – 46%
Tackles – 22
Dribbles – 14
30-SECOND REPORT
Pochettino
Pochettino played a 4-3-3, asking his players to seize the moment rather than relying on a tactical masterstroke. In the first half, they did just that, as they built on their first-leg performance to take the lead and looked certain to advance.
However, Spurs’ inability – or unwillingness – to shut up shop cost them, a failure to extend their lead was punished when their defence was left exposed.
Allegri
Responding to Spurs’ midfield domination from the first leg, Allegri opted for a 4-3-3 with two defensive-minded central midfielders in Sami Khedira and Blaise Matuidi alongside Miralem Pjanic. Yet in the first half, the story was much the same as the game in Turin.
But Juventus grew into the game in the second half after the introduction of left-back Kwadwo Asamoah added balance to the side, and they duly turned the tie around with two quick goals.
TACTICAL TALKING POINTS
Pochettino
ATTACKING THRUST
Pochettino could have played for a 0-0, but he stuck to his guns and Spurs started the game as if they needed a goal more than Juventus. It paid off initially, as they took a 1-0 lead into half-time.
But 1-0 was always precarious – Spurs needed a second goal to feel secure. Their search for one left them defensively vulnerable, and a tactical switch from Juve allowed the visitors to exploit that and turn the game on its head.
Son Heung-min had given Spurs what looked like a decisive lead.
Allegri
FRONT THREE
Dybala and Douglas Costa started either side of Gonzalo Higuain up front, with the Argentine stationed nominally on the left. The set-up often left Juve’s attack looking disjointed and lopsided, as neither Dybala nor Costa really linked up with Higuain.
Dybala’s tendency to pop up in the middle or even on the right, meant the left side of Juve’s attack was largely non-existent. There was too much ground for full-back Alex Sandro to cover, and Blaise Matuidi looked uncomfortable drifting out to the left to offer width.
SUBSTITUTION
Replacing Matuidi with Kwadwo Asamoah and moving Andrea Barzagli into the middle with Stephan Lichtsteiner slotting in at right-back with Mehdi Benatia coming off instantly changed the game. The Swiss international’s cross led to the equaliser.
Meanwhile, Sandro was allowed to be more involved in the attack, driving the rest of the midfield forward, and making Dybala’s free role more fruitful as there was someone taking up the spaces he vacated.
Dybala’s goal sent Juve into the quarterfinals.
VERDICT
Pochettino
It’s understandable that Pochettino didn’t want to upset Spurs’ momentum when they were 1-0 up and dominating, even if other managers may have shut up shop at half-time. But not doing so once it became 1-1 was naive, and it cost Tottenham.
Rating – 6/10
Allegri
The Juventus manager didn’t get his tactics right to start with, but when he finally realised how to fix it, the impact was instant. Rarely do substitutions change a tie so dramatically as Allegri’s decision to bring on Asamoah and Lichtsteiner.
Rating – 8/10
