Tottenham, the Champions League dark horses?

Tottenham’s performances may have been inept at the turn of the calendar year, but the North Londoners have since registered an impressive string of results that began during the tail end of January.

A timely win against Manchester United at Wembley added a spring in their step, one that saw them share a hard fought draw with Liverpool, before earning the bragging rights in the North London derby over the weekend.

The victory over Arsenal stood them in good stead ahead of their visit to Turin, and rightly so, as Spurs came from behind to register a remarkable 2-2 draw with Juventus in the first leg of the Champions League Round of 16.

The milestone may be plausible- as it sets new heights in their quest for the top-tier European title-, but it is rather the result of progressive development that unequivocally makes Tottenham Hotspur the dark horse of the Champions League this season.

 

Top group of death

Tottenham were without question the object of ridicule when the draw for the group stages of the Champions League was made back in August. Spurs were written off after being drawn in Group H, the ‘group of death’, alongside Apoel, Borussia Dortmund and defending champions Real Madrid.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side however proved that they were no whipping boys, as they rose to the mark to shock Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid with three emphatic wins out of four.

The victories had Spurs comfortably finish at the summit of their group, setting an undertone in their quest for European glory.

 

Stamp authority in last-16

Out to prove their brilliant exhibition in the group stage wasn’t a mere fluke, Spurs faced their toughest test yet when they traveled to Turin to face the incomparable Juventus.

The Italian Champions gave no breathing room for Spurs as they scored two quick-fire goals within the opening ten minutes through Gonzalo Higuain, completely blowing the visitors out of the water.

Distraught but not defeated, Tottenham put up an impressive comeback through Harry Kane and Christian Eriksen in what was simply a scintillating end-to-end football match.

Seeing as Spurs already have one foot in the quarter-final by virtues of the away-goal rule, they may evidently be the dark horses of the Champions League.

 

Written by Brian Humphrey

Follow Brian on Twitter @brihum

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