Tottenham Hotspur have booked a place in the knockout phase of the UEFA Champions League after a brilliant performance at Wembley as they defeated defending champions, Real Madrid 3-1 to take control of Group H.
Dele Alli inspired the English side with a brace, while Christian Eriksen added a third before Cristiano Ronaldo grabbed a late consolation for the Spanish side. Spurs welcomed fit again striker, Harry Kane, who missed the weekend loss to Manchester United in the Premier League.
With either side needing a draw to confirm their place in the next round, it was the home side who signaled their intentions early when Alli gave them a 1-0 half time lead.
The 21-year-old doubled their advantage after the break before Real’s talisman, Ronaldo, pulled one back for the away side, ten minutes from time.
The Portuguese’s goal was nothing but a consolation as Spurs held on for a win that sees them top of the group on 10 points, three ahead of Real.
Borussia Dortmund and Apoel Nicosia remain on two points, after they played yet another 1-1 draw.
Mauricio Pochettino, Spurs’ manager, was expectedly excited by the performance of his players.
“I expected to see the very best of Real Madrid,” Pochettino told uefa.com. “To beat Real Madrid you need to be at your best. Tottenham were above all competitive. We were at our best and that’s why we got the result we did.
“It’s hard to know about Real coming in with a victory or a defeat. You play who you’re up against.
Pochettino added “The most important thing is that we’re in the next round. We’ve improved on last year; we’ve qualified with two games to spare, and against teams like Dortmund, Real Madrid and Nicosia. It’s important for us. We’re in a period in which the team has to keep growing; games like this give you a lot more confidence.
“They make you believe even more in your potential and your quality. There was a real energy today, not just physical, but mental, too and you can then begin to achieve things of which you dream. The aim is always to win. Those goals are to win, and to win big competitions. This is what we dream of. We’re moving in the right direction.”
