The result in Holland last night leaves Spurs with just one point from three matches, while Barcelona lead group B with nine points and Inter Milan lie second on six.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
The villain in Eindhoven was Spurs keeper Hugo Lloris, who was sent off 11 minutes from time for racing out of his box and fouling Hirving Lozano. Spurs led 2-1 at that stage, thanks to goals from Lucas Moura and Harry Kane, but three minutes from time Luuk de Jong levelled for the hosts.
That goal, allied to Lozano’s first-half effort, denied Tottenham what would have been a precious victory - particularly as Inter were beaten 2-0 in Barcelona.
Lloris not to blame
Instead Spurs face a formidable task if they’re to catch their Italian rivals in the last three group games. Asked if he still believed they could reach the last 16, Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino admitted their chances “are nearly over”. He added: “We’ll see what happens now in the game.”
Pochettino refused to apportion blame to Lloris, despite his rush of blood in hunting down Lozano.
“If we need to blame someone it’s ourselves because with all the situations and the circumstances in the game you must win because I think we were much better than them,” reflected the Argentine.
“The situation with Hugo was maybe unfair but that can happen in football. But if you score more goals you are going to win the game. That is why we are so disappointed, not with the decisions but with ourselves because it’s a game you must win.”
No apology needed
Pochettino also revealed that Lloris had not said sorry to his teammates for his action, and nor should he. “He doesn’t need to apologise,” said the manager. “Football is about making mistakes. It was an action in football that happens often and of course sometimes that happens.”
Champions League results and fixtures
Matchday three results
Group A: Club Brugge 1 Monaco 1; Borussia Dortmund 4 Atletico Madrid 0
Group B: PSV Eindhoven 2 Tottenham Hotspur 2; Barcelona 2 Inter Milan 0
Group C: Liverpool 4 Red Star Belgrade 0; Paris Saint-Germain 2 Napoli 2
Group D: Galatasaray 0 Schalke 0; Lokomotiv Moscow 1 Porto 3
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
register for free
Already have an account? Sign in
Subscribe to The Week
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Subscribe & Save
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Unlimited website access is included with Digital and Print + Digital subscriptions. Create an accountwith the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
‘Genuine visionary’: is Pep Guardiola the greatest of all time?
Champions League final: Man City vs. Inter predictions and preview
Antonio Conte leaves Tottenham after ‘extraordinary’ rant at players
Uefa Champions League 2022-2023 guide: group stage draw and key dates
Uefa Champions League final: blame game begins for chaos in Paris
2022 Uefa Champions League final: Liverpool vs. Real Madrid preview, predictions and TV
Tottenham vs. Arsenal predictions: race for the Premier League top four
Karim Benzema: Panenkas, hat-tricks and a Ballon d’Or?
