The hours are counting down until Tottenham Hotspur take to the Nou Camp pitch to face off against Barcelona in the Champions League.
Victory tonight secures our progression through to the next stage of the 2018/19 tournament and given how we started life in Europe this year, that would be a memorable turnaround. Alternatively, we just have to match Inter Milan’s result, as with the advantage in our favour, that would also be enough to put us through to the next stage.
With Luis Suarez already out of the tie that is one boost, but there is a line of thought in the media that Lionel Messi could also be rested given Barcelona top the group and are already through to the last 16 – but speaking to Sky Sports, it seem goalkeeper Hugo Lloris doesn’t want that advantage handed to us, as he confident we can secure victory against the Catalan giants full stop.
“I think it is always a special game to play against Barcelona at the Nou Camp. It is a special place, it is true we will be playing against one of the best players in history. It will not be easy but I think the most important thing is to believe in our chance to go through. We will play 100 per cent with the belief that we can do it. I think it is difficult to stop a player like Leo Messi but if we can do it is only as a team. We will need a strong performance, individually obviously, but mainly as a team.”
You have to admire the confidence and I can see the line of thought of beating them outright, but for me, the bragging rights can follow later in the competition.