Tottenham Hotspur vs RB Leipzig; UEFA Champions League Round of 16
Tottenham Hotspur vs RB Leipzig. UEFA Champions League Round of 16.
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Tottenham vs RB Leipzig preview
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Tuesday 18 February 2020 15:41, UK
Team news, stats and predictions as Tottenham host RB Leipzig in the last 16 of the Champions League.
Team news
Tottenham head coach Jose Mourinho does not expect Heung-min Son to play again this season. Mourinho has no out-and-out striker to call on, having declared academy prospect Troy Parrott not ready, meaning options are limited to playing Lucas Moura, Dele Alli or Steven Bergwijn.
Erik Lamela will be assessed ahead of the game, but Son joins Kane, Moussa Sissoko and Juan Foyth on the injury list.
RB Leipzig will be without the suspended Dayot Upamecano while Willi Orban and Ibrahima Konate are injured. Julian Nagelsmann is expected to retain a back-three formation, which could potentially mean Manchester City loanee Angelino featuring at wing-back.
Tyler Adams and Kevin Kampl are Leipzig's two other confirmed absentees, so Amadou Haidara could start in midfield.
Opta stats
- This will be the first encounter between Tottenham and RB Leipzig. It's also the first time the team from Leipzig is facing an English club in a competitive fixture whilst Spurs will be facing German opposition in the UCL round of 16 for the second consecutive season, after knocking out Borussia Dortmund 4-0 on aggregate in 2018/19.
- The only previous game between Tottenham and a German team at the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium ended in a 7-2 win for Bayern Munich, back in October this season. In fact, Tottenham's two Champions League games against German opposition this season have produced 13 goals.
- Finalists in 2018/19, Tottenham are in the knockout stages of the Champions League for the third consecutive season - they had only made it past the group phase once before (2010/11).
- RB Leipzig have reached the Champions League knockout stages for the first time in their history. Wolfsburg are the last German team - outside of Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund - to make it past the round of 16, back in 2015/16.
- Tottenham conceded 14 goals in this season's Champions League group phase, the highest tally among the remaining teams in the competition. Half of those goals came in their home game against Bayern Munich (2-7).
- Only one of Tottenham's 21 Champions League home games has ended in a draw (0-0 v AC Milan, March 2011).
- The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has seen more goals than any other venue in this season's Champions League (20 goals; 11 for Tottenham, 9 against).
- RB Leipzig lost their first two Champions League away games but are since unbeaten in their last four matches on the road (W3 D1), scoring 10 goals.
- Tottenham Hotspur manager José Mourinho last made it past the round of 16 of the Champions League six years ago, leading Chelsea to the semi-finals in 2013/14. It's also nearly 10 years since he last reached the final, with Inter Milan in 2010.
Charlie Nicholas' prediction
Again, to be fair to Tottenham, they did not deserve to beat Southampton. They did not deserve it against Aston Villa. Mistakes were given to them and they took advantage, but they are getting results. Jose Mourinho's face is no disguise for the way they are performing.
Including Manchester United, he has not dealt with a worse defence, in terms of understanding what the shape and what the demands are. He just has to see what happens. If he upsets them, it could be a long way back. He is caught in an awkward place.
RB Leipzig got an excellent draw at Bayern the other week, and they have goals in them that is for sure, with pace to burn. Christopher Nkunku and Tino Werner will cause a lot of problems.
They all have a great working attitude and real assets. It is yet another awkward game. They should have beaten Bayern, so there are promising signs. Leipzig will play on the counter-attack, but I can only see goals. It will be an open game but Jose knows he must get a win from this one, and I think they will just about get there.
CHARLIE PREDICTS: 3-2 (22/1 with Sky Bet)