Spurs launch their CL campaign with a trip to Piraeus to take on Olympiakos at the atmospheric Karaskakis Stadium. Hopefully we can avoid the drama of last season's group stage by getting off to a good start, as the Greek side have seen off the likes of Arsenal and Manchester United in recent seasons. We are without Juan Foyth, Ryan Sessegnon and Giovani Lo Celso, while Danny Rose and Serge Aurier have stayed in London. This shows the importance of having a deep squad, as even with 3 players out with injury, Poch has the luxury of rotating the team with a difficult PL fixture awaiting at Leicester Saturday lunchtime.
Here are the teams! Olympiakos; José Sa; Elabdellaoui, Meriah, Semedo, Tsimkas; Guilherme, Bouchalkis; Masouras, Valbuena, Podence; Guerrero Subs: Allain, Camara, Beniza, El Arabi, Papadopoulos, Torosidis, Radjelovic Spurs: Lloris; Sanchez, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Davies; Winks, Ndombele; Moura, Alli, Eriksen; Kane Subs: Gazzaniga, Son, Lamela, Wanyama, Dier, Walker-Peters, Sissoko Referee: G Rocchi (Italy)
CL usually throws up a few WTF results/performances, especially early on. So I expect us to concede 2 goals within the first 10 minutes and valiantly fight back to a draw. Nothing would surprise me. It's almost like a comfortable win would be the most disturbing outcome. Some slight gambles with the lineup, but I guess rotation is a consideration.
It looks like Toby will play RB. Would rather see KWP their and Toby-Jan in central defense - why complicate things?
Here we go, tremendous atmosphere. We are wearing our "ice blue" changed strip, Olympiakos are in their traditional red and white stripes.
The only other time we played them in Europe was 1972-73 in the Uefa Cup when we won 4-1 on aggregate in the 2nd round. Shows how much football has changed since then, the lineups were exclusively all-Greek and all-British back then, today we have 4 Brits and they have 3 Greeks.
Ndombele off to a shaky start, he gives the ball away for a 2nd time and again Podence is able to run at our defense, but his shot is blocked.
Eriksen with a chance to break, but holds onto the ball too long and is closed down, Guerrero with a long range effort at the other end, easy for Lloris.
They are leaving Sanchez in acres of space on the right. I guess they don't think he can deliver a cross.
0-1, Kane immaculate from the spot! 26 mins. Kane missed his last pen vs. Kosovo, this time he goes high down the middle.