Tottenham's progress a worthy achievement while Harry Kane gets set for Mauro Icardi duel

Aditya Devavrat 12:44 28/11/2018
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  • New-age Tottenham have come far since their first season in the Champions League.

    After one big win at Wembley, Tottenham are in search of another as they face Inter Milan in the Champions League.

    It is a must-win fixture for Spurs if they are to have any hope of qualifying out of the Group B, where they are currently only third, three points behind the Italian side in second.

    But Saturday’s 3-1 win over Chelsea should give them the confidence they can pull off a similar result in this fixture.

    Here’s a look at the talking points ahead of Wednesday’s game.

    Fixture shows how far Spurs have come

    Tottenham have been here before. The last time they were drawn against Inter in a Champions League group stage, they went into their home encounter having lost in Milan and sitting on four points.

    Of course, back then, the group didn’t include Barcelona, and Spurs had three games left including the Inter fixture, not two.

    But amid the doom and gloom which has surrounded Tottenham this season – though Saturday’s win over Chelsea lifted much of it – it’s worth reflecting how far the north London club have come.

    In 2010, though they would never have admitted it, Tottenham were simply happy to be in the Champions League. After all, it was their first season in the competition.

    That was the Gareth Bale era at Tottenham, and though it’s worth wondering what Spurs could do if this squad also possessed a player like him, it’s also fair to point out that this side is better, and more consistent.

    And knocking on the door of Europe’s elite. That’s something not true of eight years ago.

    It won’t be any comfort if they lose on Wednesday, but that Spurs are in a group with Inter and Barcelona and still have a shot of making it out is quite an achievement.

    Battle of strikers set to be decisive

    Harry Kane is back to his best. Mauro Icardi has been in top form all season. The stage is set for a battle of two superstar strikers at Wembley.

    And both have something to prove. Kane has never gone past the Round of 16 in the Champions League, while this is Icardi’s first season in the competition. Neither has won a trophy. So, carrying the hopes of their respective clubs – and, for Kane, his country as well – these two strikers are hungry to deliver.

    One senses that scoring goals which lead to their teams’ succeeding is the only thing keeping Kane and Icardi from taking that last, small leap to put them alongside the likes of Luis Suarez, Robert Lewandowski, even Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in the world’s elite.

    Wednesday will be a good time to start. An Inter win would seal their spot in the Round of 16, in their first season back in the competition, while Kane and Spurs know that they need to win this game – likely by at least two goals – and win at the Camp Nou on the last matchday to have any chance of beating Inter to the punch. Which striker will step forth?

    Another test for Tottenham’s resurgent midfield

    There’s no respite for Spurs’ in-form midfield. Fresh from seeing off the threat of Mateo Kovacic, Jorginho, and N’Golo Kante on Saturday, Eric Dier and Moussa Sissoko have the task of outduelling Radja Nainggolan, Marcelo Brozovic, and Matias Vecino at Wembley.

    Yet Tottenham fans can be quietly confident about their team winning that battle. Nainggolan is pedigreed, undoubtedly, but is also slowing, and can be error-prone at times. He has the experience to deal with the pressure Spurs will put on him, but is often guilty of trying too hard, Sissoko and Dier’s helpers, Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli, will enjoy testing him.

    And while Brozovic may have helped anchor a run to the World Cup final for Croatia, and Vecino has gradually become one of Europe’s better defensive midfielders, there’s an argument that neither is in as good form as Sissoko.

    The Frenchman has resurrected his career this season, and judging by the way he played against Chelsea, he can have a similar effect on this Spurs team that Mousa Dembele did against Juventus last season. And Dier was equally good on Saturday. Not many would have said this even a month ago, but the Sissoko-Dier duo is now looking like Spurs’ key to success.

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