Tottenham In An Advantageous Position

Coming into the first leg of the Champions League fixture between Juventus and Tottenham,  many of us were surprised to see Tottenham go toe to toe with the Italian Giants. The Bianconeri, are a formidable opponent for any club, seemed to be caught back at times during the eventual 2-2 draw between both teams. With the second leg being held at Wembley in London, one feels that the pendulum is shifting ever so slightly in the Spurs direction. 

Juventus has spent around $140M since the 2017 summer transfer period, and are in a similar position to that of an underachieving PSG. Success is judged differently for both of these clubs, as they sit comfortably atop both of their respective leagues. In the last 5 years, PSG has won 4 out of the 5 Ligue 1 titles in France, absolutely dominating teams with their exquisite play, but with their checkbooks as well. Juventus has won the Series A title 6 years and running, which is a staggering stat that ultimately alters the perspective of a successful campaign for them. With a domestic league championship almost a given for them recently, attention has shifted heavily towards a UEFA Champions League trophy that has evaded them since 1996. An exit at this stage of the tournament would no doubt be catastrophic for Turin club as it was for the Parisians.

Tottenham on the other hand, enter the match without any of the heavy expectation that plagues their opponents. They are in every sense of the word, over-achieving, in not only their progression in the tournament, but also their ability to stay “Top Four” in the English Premier League. This is a feat they have yet to accomplish as a club, and simply cannot be understated given the completion level in the EPL. Since the 1960-1961 Tottenham have yet to win an English League Cup and have nowhere close to the Champions League clout of a Juventus. Tottenham should instead be relishing the opportunity to take a step forward and continue demonstrating to the footballing world that they belong at this level. Read more on Tottenham coach Pochettino thoughts going into the fixture.

Africans To Watch Out For In The UCL Round of 16: #1 Mohamed Salah

Mohamed Salah

We simply cannot tire to talk about this particular Egyptian. By now, you might have an idea why. The Liverpool forward has scored 30 goals in 37 appearances in all competitions, with five of those coming in the UEFA Champions League. He also knows a thing or two about assists, having made seven so far. He is inarguably one of the most dreaded forwards in the football world right now. Check out our Champions League Super XI article to learn how he made it into the list ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo.

Africans To Watch Out For In The UCL Round of 16: #2 Sadio Mane

Sadio Mane

He might have scored just nine goals and bagged six assists so far in all competitions but the Senegalese’s quality needs no introduction. His three UCL goals came in just four appearances and clocked 31km/hr. top speed, more than Mo Salah. He has not had a spectacular season at Liverpool this time, not because of inability but largely the ingenuity of his African counterpart in the form of Salah. Their combination upfront is even a better show of brilliance than their individual performances. With Mane and Salah on one side and Brahimi and Aboubakar on the other, the Porto vs Liverpool match presents a marvelous show of African talent.

Africans To Watch Out For In The UCL Round of 16: #3 Yacine Brahimi

Yacine Brahimi

He is not perhaps as celebrated, but he is Vincent’s partner in crime at the Portuguese club. The 28-year-old Algerian has become a very important component of the Porto midfield. This season alone, he has scored seven goals and has seven assists to his name, averaging a passing accuracy of 79.2%. In the UEFA Champions League alone, he recovered 14 balls and covered 55.7km in six matches. It promises to be an interesting affair when they clash with fellow Africans from the Premier League in the form of Liverpool.

Africans To Watch Out For In The UCL Round of 16: #4 Vincent Aboubakar

Vincent Aboubakar

FC Porto will be looking up to the Cameroonian forward to replicate his group stages performances if they are going to see off Liverpool. The 26 year old has scored 24 goals in 32 appearances in all competitions and registered five assists. Five of those goals were in five UCL appearances and turning up the style in big games is a very familiar territory to him. Do you remember the sensational winning goal he scored against Egypt in the AFCON finale in 2017?

Africans To Watch Out For In The UCL Round of 16: #5 Geoffroy Serey Dié

Geoffroy Serey Dié

The veteran Ivorian midfielder is a figure of maturity and resilience in the Basel midfield. At 33 years old, he still has a thing for bossing midfield. He made just three appearances in the group stages but recovered 10 balls, making four tackles and a passing accuracy of 90%. He peaked in their famous victory against Manchester United when he produced a man of the match performance. However, with the Swiss team facing the Premier League run away leaders, Manchester City, this opportunity presents a different challenge for Serey and his teammates.