FC Barcelona 1-1 Tottenham Hotspurs: 3 Reasons for the draw / UEFA Champions League Group Stages

Modified Dec 12, 2018 00:15 GMT

Tottenham deservedly went through to the Round of 16, playing a great game against Barcelona tonight.

#2 Missing key starters

Barca left several stars out from the starting lineup tonight

Both teams were missing key players, with Tottenham having had a terrible case of the injury bug. Davinson Sanchez, Kieran Trippier, Serge Aurier, Moussa Dembele and Victor Wanyama are all on the treatment table and barring Wanyama and one of Aurier or Trippier, all others would have definitely started.

Barca missed Umtiti and Roberto through injuries but chose to rest several key starters as well. Messi and Busquets came into the game in the second half as Valverde tried to outmaneuver Pocchetino, but failed to make a telling impact on the match.

Pique and Ter Stegen were also rested, which gave Thomas Vermaelen and Clement Lenglet a test of a lifetime in trying to stop a red-hot Tottenham strike force.

Lenglet shone tonight against Kane & Co., winning 6 tackles and 11 duels on the night in front of the Camp Nou. These were the kinds of performances expected from him when Barcelona brought him over from Sevilla in the summer.

Edited by Gabby Duran