Tottenham beat Real Madrid 3-1 to take the lead in Champions League Group H, and send a warning shot to the rest of Europe.
Tottenham took a massive step in securing top spot in Group H of the Champions League with a 3-1 win over Real Madrid in Wembley on Wednesday. Spurs were dominant throughout, proving that not only can they move to the knockout round of the tournament for the first time since the days of Gareth Bale, but also that they are a team to be feared once they get there.
Tottenham didn’t park the bus away in Madrid, and they certainly didn’t do so at home in their win over Los Blancos. They beat Borussia Dortmund and APOEL 3-1 in their first two group games and have grabbed four points in two games against the two-time reigning European champions within a month.
Harry Kane returned to help Spurs in their dominance of Real just in time. They had lost their previous two games without him, and his holdup play was welcomed with open arms. Dele Alli returned to European competition as well to grab a brace against a team that has been linked with him for months. Christian Eriksen added a third to put Real away, and finished a performance in London that should have the rest of Europe on notice.
Beating Dortmund and APOEL was impressive, and drawing away at Madrid even more so. However, welcoming in a healthy Real to Wembley stadium with a 3-1 win proves to the rest of the big clubs that Tottenham are a team to be reckoned with. This isn’t the Tottenham of old. They’re ready to play with the biggest teams in Europe.
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They’re playing so well in European competition with a methodical offensive attack and risk-taking defensive strategy. The win over Real was fascinating because of the high line that Spurs started with before taking the lead. After it became clear Real would need to come back in a fury, Tottenham locked things down with their usual defensive fortitude.
The performance wasn’t a flash in the pan. Tottenham have slowly proven over the last three years that they’re building into a different team that can take on the best of the best. Playing so well against one of the best teams in Europe over two games shows the soccer world that they’re not in the Champions League to stay afloat, they’re here to compete.