Tottenham Hotspur, like Shakhtar Donetsk, have been a breath of fresh air in this season's Champions League. Harry Redknapp's team may be 'green' in terms of their experience in the competition but they have taken to Europe's premier tournament with tremendous gumption.
In the wake of England's World Cup debacle there was a frenzied debate about the nation's lack of football identity. In Spurs, aspiring English teams need look no further for a successful template to follow. Effective wing play in open matches combined with short passing in the right areas against deep lying defences has given the north London team a varied attacking threat, which teams to this point cannot handle.
Redknapp is proving to be more tactically astute than many of his critics would give him credit for; he certainly knows how to set out a team to defeat any given opponent on the continent or, as a plan b, how to alter his line-up if things are not going right.
The veteran coach has managed to produce some breathtaking football at times in the Champions League even if the club's Premier League form has been hit and miss. He has exploited weaknesses in Inter, the European champions, and has a formidable home record in this season's competition. The manner in which Spurs attack provides a natural tonic to some of the insipid safety first methods deployed by other teams in the group stage. They have scored 15 goals, more than any other side bar Arsenal, and proudly sit top of their pool.
Redknapp has forged a concentrated squad of players which includes some of the continent's finest in their positions. There are not many teams around in which Luka Modric, Gareth Bale or Rafael Van Der Vaart would not get a game. This is a squad who were sitting bottom of the league when their manager took over little over two years ago.
He has transformed Spurs beyond all recognition and given English football a team to cherish with their level of European performance.
Stewarding needs to be stepped up before a player is hurt by a pitch invader
The safety of fans inside and around stadiums has become a paramount concern for UEFA and its member associations in recent seasons. Fines have been levied, stadiums temporarily shut and teams punished for the behaviour of their supporters at matches. Events of last night, however, show that the game's governing body could do with taking their campaign a little further to events that transpire on the field of play.
Last night, in Glasgow and Athens respectively, two of the world's foremost footballers were approached in their workplace by intruders. Wayne Rooney was joined in his celebration by a fan from his own end while Lionel Messi was flipped the bird by a disgruntled Panathinaikos thug.
The incidents provoked no violence but highlighted a major flaw in UEFA's stadium control policies. It took the patrollers inside the ground quite some time to apprehend the miscreants, by which time the players could have been hurt had the invaders' motives been nefarious.
It may sound alarmist to suggest that premier athletes could be targetted by disruptive individuals and groups seeking publicity but the ease in which supporters can still enter the field of play is a concern.
Nude streakers have long provoked embarrassed laughter while less exhibitionist pitch invaders have been simply portrayed as attention seeking idiots. But will it take a Monica Seles type attack on a footballer for the game's law makers to react?
Barcelona's second goal against Panathinaikos will not be bettered this season
Last night Lionel Messi scored the greatest goal in the competition this season. At the business end of a patient move, Barcelona simply accelerated the speed of their passing and thought to find the net in an aesthetic, beguiling and irresistible manner. No team can hang with Barcelona when they produce football as smooth as this. It is the way in which the game should be beheld.
Close control, accurate passing, clear communication and proper movement. Everything worked like clockwork for the Blaugrana in that moment; Messi's lay-off to Dani Alves was the Prime Move and in a matter of seconds, the effect was sublime.
Cristiano Ronaldo's goal against Porto for Manchester United won FIFA's Goal of the Year in 2009 and accentuated the positives in the Portuguese's game. Power, speed and the ability to crash the ball in from distance.
Messi's goal against Panathinaikos illustrated a key difference between the two best players in the world. The Argentine started and finished a sumptuous team move for a memorable goal whereas Ronaldo's best ever effort came as a moment of individual inspiration.
Messi and Barcelona were made for each other. Sheer beauty. Pure team work. It could not work any other way.
News of Inter's demise has been greatly exaggerated
Quite often, football stories are sought where there are none. Half truths and rumours quickly become headlines which are then digested as fact. Rafael Benitez knows this better than most. He jumped from crisis to controversy when replacing Jose Mourinho at Inter and the Real Madrid coach has not exactly helped his successor with his snide comments in the media about Inter's less than stellar form.
In recent weeks Benitez's tenure has been placed in jeopardy by the media. His team selections and tactics have been called into question by people completely misplaced to do so as his club struggles under the weight of an injury crisis.
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Inter's Recent Run Of Form
Chievo 2-1 Inter - Serie A - 21/11/10 Inter 0-1 Milan - Serie A - 14/11/10 Lecce 1-1 Inter - Serie A - 10/11/10 Inter 1-1 Brescia - Serie A - 06/11/10 Tottenham 3-1 Inter - CL - 02/11/10 Genoa 0-1 Inter - Serie A - 29/10/10 Inter 1-1 Sampdoria - Serie A - 24/10/10 |
But the former Valencia boss has maintained his dignity in regard to his own position and tried as well as possible to get on with the job. It cannot be easy when the team is short of so many first teamers but they have just managed to keep their heads above water in testing circumstances. There are not many teams who could maintain their standards with so many players missing but, come the knockout rounds, Inter will be close to full strength and replenished. They will probably be back on top of Serie A too.
Their win against Twente may not have been spectacular but Mourinho himself was not above grinding out wins in tough circumstances when he was in charge.
Porto will be welcomed back to the Champions League next season
The party is over for Benfica. The likes of David Luiz, Luisao and Fabio Coentrao stayed at the club over the course of last summer to give the Champions League a shot. Now that their exit from the competition has been confirmed they will have to face up to an awkward truth. With their Champions League credentials will go their biggest stars. Ramires and Angel Di Maria moved on and the rest will follow.
Defeat to Hapoel Tel Aviv may have been cruel and unusual, given the number of chances and amount of possession the guests had in Bloomfield Stadium but the result was entirely in-keeping with what has been a disastrous campaign, continentally, aside from one good result over Lyon.
Last season, domestically, represented a dark hour for FC Porto but under Andre Villas Boas they are primed to make their comeback to the big time. The Dragons served notice of their intentions for the Portuguese crown with a 5-0 pasting of the champions a few weeks back and are undefeated in all competitions up to now. They are one of the continent's most in-form and dynamic teams and they belong in the Champions League.