Yesterday was a busy matchday with two Champions League clashes and one match of Premier League round 26. Let's review what has happened last night.
Tottenham 0-1 Leipzig
1. Ndombele and Lamela change the game
For an hour, Spurs got the fire smacked out of them by RB Leipzig. Then on 64 minutes Mourinho withdrew the hapless but hard-working Dele Alli and the luckless Gedson Fernandes and brought on Tanguy Ndombele and Erik Lamela, switching formation to 3-5-2.
Mourinho claimed he didn’t change shape but given the way Aurier plays full-back and the increased pressure Spurs were playing with, it was functionally a 3-5-2 for the whole last half-hour.
The game then turned on a sixpence, instantly swinging Spurs way for the first time. Suddenly Spurs had a bit of direction and an idea of how to play. The ferocity of Erik Lamela unsettled Leipzig and he kept Mukiele’s attacking forays in check.
Equally as important as Lamela’s steel was the spicy football of Tanguy Ndombele. All night long the only Spurs player that looked like he belonged on the same pitch as Leipzig was Giovani Lo Celso, but he was just one man. With Ndombele they were two, and the Frenchman grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck and began playing it his way.
Ndombele was a player who was stronger than Leipzig’s midfielders, faster than Leipzig’s midfielders and more skilful than Leipzig’s midfielders. His confidence on the ball and cease attacking intent radiated out to his team-mates and Spurs finish the game on the front foot, hammering a tiring Peter Gulasci.
2. Lo Celso is the new Dembélé
Of Spurs’ two summer signings, no one would have guessed Giovani Lo Celso as the better shot to replace Moussa Dembélé’s role in midfield. That possession-safe, dribbling and passing dynamo who drove Spurs forward.
Yet if you watched the game at Tottenham Stadium, well, you saw what recent games had been hinting at: Lo Celso is the new Dembélé.
No Spurs player completed more passes in the opponent’s half than Lo Celso, no player from either side completed more dribbles (4) and no Spurs player had more shots (3).
Lo Celso was everywhere for Spurs, and even his pass completion numbers only dipped below 85% when he was pushed forward to play no. 10. For the entire night, even when his team-mates were getting plastered all over the pitch, Giovani Lo Celso held his head high and showed his class for Spurs.
3. Nagelsmann is a wizard
They call Julian Nagelsmann “Mini-Mourinho” but that comparison does him no favours at all. To be honest, comparing him to any coach is unfair as Nagelsmann has his own unique style of play and it is truly spectacular.
Nagelsmann’s system of play is so well-drilled into his players that he can make adjustments others wouldn’t dare make in a Champions League knockout tie (well, maybe Pep Guardiola would).
Leipzig came into the game without their two best defenders: captain Willi Orban is out injured and Dayot Upamecano is suspended; yet Nagelsmann didn’t panic.
Nagelsmann sent Leipzig out with a back three composing of Lukas Klostermann, Ethan Ampadu and Marcel Halstenberg. That’s two full-backs who often play wing-back for Germany, and a teenager on-loan from Chelsea making just his third start of the season. Yet at no point in the game did any of them look uncomfortable in the system, or like they would have trouble handling the occasion or opponent.
Yes, Spurs upped the ante and dominated the game for the last 30 minutes or so, but Leipzig held firm and it wasn’t like Peter Gulasci was diving all over the place to make saves. Nagelsmann’s system held firm and he became the youngest-ever manager to win a Champions League knockout match.
Atalanta 4-1 Valencia
1. Atalanta mark big occasion with a stunning win
For a club like Atalanta, this was an occasion of massive significance. The Serie A side were making their first-ever appearance in the Champions League last-16 and they completed it in some style.
The Lombardy-based team have been the principal entertainers in their league as well and the manner in which they celebrated the occasion was only fitting. 63 league goals put them above the likes of Juventus and Inter – something they emphasized further with a thumping 4-1 win over Valencia to announce themselves on the big stage.
Hans Hateboer scored his first-ever Champions League goals against Valencia and he sure won’t forget them in a hurry. The right-back’s first goal came after he stormed in to meet Alejandro Gomez’s cross, putting his side ahead in the 16th minute.
Exactly 46 minutes later, the full-back had the ball in the net once again. Expertly beating the offside trap to latch on to Mario Pasalic’s pass, Hateboer made no mistake to make it 4-0 and extinguish any hopes Valencia had of a comeback.
2. Sorry – Valencia need a miracle
After making it out of one of the toughest groups in the competition, Valencia’s shambolic performance against an evenly matched side has left them with no excuses. Expected to be an even game, Valencia’s shabby display now means they are almost certainly going out of the competition.
Hateboer’s 16th-minute strike opened the floodgates and from then on the visitors never really looked like getting into the match. Poor, poor performance.
Man City 2-0 West Ham
1. Kevin De Bruyne still pushing for PFA award
Despite Liverpool running away with the Premier League and Man City underwhelming at times this season, Kevin De Bruyne is among the top five favourites to be named PFA Player of the Year. And it’s easy to see why.
The Belgian was superb on Wednesday night albeit against a disastrous West Ham side and looked a class above his teammates. From the off, De Bruyne was intent on chasing every West Ham defender on the ball as if he smelt the fear of a side facing relegation, pushing high to win the ball back.
He was constantly testing West Ham’s defence with attempted passes and it was his excellent corner to the front post that glanced off Rodri’s head and into the far corner of the net to give Man City the lead – with his 16th assist of the season.
It looked as though the assist would be taken away from him with Aymeric Laporte arriving at the far post trying to tap in, but the defender appeared to miss his connection.
As the game went on, De Bruyne frequently looked like adding to Man City’s lead, whether it was through another assist or a goal and it did come via the latter, as the Belgian rifled in at the near post, beating Lukasz Fabianski with the sheer power of his low shot. De Bruyne had the opportunity to add to his assists tally – and on another day he might have – but the midfielder was let down by his teammates before coming off late on.
2. Aguero x Jesus just doesn’t work
The Premier League has seen some excellent strike partnerships over the years but Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus just doesn’t seem to be one.
Alone, the South American pair are excellent. Sergio Aguero has scored 16 league goals this season, second only to Jamie Vardy, while Gabriel Jesus has chipped in with nine. But together, there’s just something that doesn’t work.
Against West Ham on Wednesday night, Man City lined up with a 4-3-3 formation but played more like a 4-2-2-2 at times, with Bernardo Silva and De Bruyne providing the width. But despite the pair’s creativity, neither could help Aguero or Jesus find the net.
Jesus provided an early sign of things to come as he was played through on goal by David Silva, but the Brazilian wanted one too many touches and a messed up his attempt to round Fabianski. The Brazilian was guilty of wasting chances against shortly after, this time messing about in front of goal, allowing Aaron Cresswell to recover. Between them, they had 10 shots but hit the target just three times.
3. Man City fans have their minds elsewhere
Although there was Premier League action on Wednesday night, most of football’s attention was on the Champions League – including a section of Manchester City fans.
While most others would have been watching either Tottenham v RB Leipzig or Atalanta against Valencia, for Man City supporters, UEFA was the main focus. On Friday it was announced that Man City have been banned from European club competitions for the following two seasons.
Man City almost immediately announced their intentions to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport and have released a subsequent statement via their chairman.
And it’s clear the Premier League is secondary in the minds of Man City fans right now as there were frequent anti-UEFA chants and signs at a less-than full Etihad.