The Old Lady teaches Dier painful lesson
beaten too easily by Dybala, who sprung the offside trap and comfortably converted the second.
Tottenham were the underdogs once again – and boy did they growl.
Son shot inches wide. Erik Lamela came on to tease but not hurt as Chiellini rallied his troops. Kane’s header hit the post. Ultimately it was a Champions League education.
The challenge for Tottenham is to make sure they do not let this
TOTTENHAM (4-2-3-1): JUVENTUS Goal: (4-3-3): Booked: Goals: Referee:
ALL CHANGE: Son puts Tottenham ahead, far left, but Higuain gets Juventus back in the game disappointment knock them off course to continue that education next season.
Booked:
ERIC DIER and Spurs have passed a few examinations in Europe this season. But this proved a test too far in the harsh world of Champions League education.
The England man’s job at Wembley last night was to help Tottenham keep a tight ship after that superb 2-2 draw in Turin in the first leg.
After a wobbly start, Spurs seemed to have taken control of this last-16 tie – until the Old Lady awoke.
Call it inexperience, call it naivety, call it simply a team knowing how to play these games. Whatever you call it, Spurs need a little bit more of it.
It was important that Dier help break up the Juventus attacking axis of Miralem Pjanic and Paulo Dybala, the hard-running Blaise Matuidi, and the electric Douglas Costa on the right.
Because yes, it had been a great result in Turin, but it should not be forgotten that the first 20 minutes or so had Tottenham in defensive chaos, as Gonzalo Higuain scored twice and could have had more. Higuain missed a chance to effectively put the tie to bed when he missed a second penalty.
So Tottenham knew they would have to defend better at Wembley, against a Juventus side who were beaten finallists in 2015 and 2017. They could not do it.
Spurs had 14 clean sheets in the league this season, and had put in good defensive displays against the likes of Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid in the group stages. So there was no doubt that Spurs were capable of careful defensive performances.
The question was, could they carry it out in the white heat of the knockout stages?
Juventus were pushing men up to support Higuain, and Dier was flattened by a robust Matuidi challenge that left him needing treatment for a clash of heads – and he also emerged with a bandaged right elbow.
Seconds later, though, Dier was up to outmuscle the tough French midfielder – and then Spurs had the lead, as Son Heung-Min scuffed his shot home.
As the game went on and the Juve threat seemed to be fading, Dier felt more able to push on, leaving Mousa Dembele to plug the gaps. It was an example of that naivety.
Suddenly, Tottenham paid as Higuain flicked in Sami Khedira’s header with the Spurs defence AWOL.
Three minutes later Higuain turned Davinson Sanchez to set up Dybala, who finished with aplomb. It was a spell that had come out of nowhere.
As Dier was taken off after 74 puzzling minutes, Mauricio Pochettino throwing on Erik Lamela to bolster his attack, he could reflect on that painful lesson.