Guglielmo Vicario, a key player for Tottenham, emphasised the need for his team to learn from their recent Champions League draw with Monaco. At Stade Louis-II, Vicario's exceptional performance, including
eight crucial saves, helped Spurs secure a point. His most notable save came in the 76th minute when he stopped Jordan Teze's header at close range. Despite this, Takumi Minamino missed a chance soon after.
Monaco had 23 shots against Tottenham, marking their fourth-highest tally in the Champions League since 2003-04. They only exceeded this number against Red Star Belgrade (27 in October 2024), Lokomotiv Moscow (27 in March 2004), and Real Madrid (24 in April 2004). Tottenham managed just two shots on target against Monaco's goalkeeper Philipp Kohn, highlighting areas for improvement both offensively and defensively.
Tottenham has struggled in recent away matches in the Champions League, winning only once in their last eight games (D3 L4). Their last away victory was a 2-1 win over Marseille in November 2022. Vicario acknowledged the team's shortcomings: "It was not the best performance from us. There is a lot to learn from this game because the level in the Champions League is very high. If you miss some basics, it is tough to compete," he told TNT Sports.
Vicario stressed that every defender is a Champions League player and that it's not about changes but rather effort and awareness of danger. He added, "I think tonight we lacked a little bit of that. " Despite the challenges faced during the match, Vicario recognised Monaco's superior performance: "It is a tough point because we had to battle and suffer a lot, so credit to Monaco. Today they were better than us. "
Archie Gray praised Vicario's outstanding display during the match. Gray noted that it was a challenging game where Tottenham wasn't at their best: "They were on top for most of the game and Guglielmo Vicario kept us in it," he said. He expressed confidence in his team's ability to overcome difficult moments: "We always stick together, but Vic was unbelievable, keeping us in the game. We will learn from these tough moments. "
Tottenham's expected goals (xG) totalled just 0.87 from their 11 shots compared to Monaco's 2.45. The team has also struggled to score early goals, failing to net in the first half of 11 out of their last 13 Champions League matches. They have scored only once in their last seven first halves combined.
Upcoming Challenges
With an upcoming Premier League fixture against Everton, Thomas Frank hopes for significant improvements from his squad. Reflecting on the match against Monaco, Frank stated: "I think there is a big credit to Monaco today. It was a hard point won. " He acknowledged that while the first half was relatively even, Monaco dominated the second half: "It demanded a lot to keep the clean sheet. "
Frank praised Vicario's performance but admitted it wasn't what they aimed for: "I think Vicario was very good. But it was not the performance we wanted, especially the second half. " As Tottenham prepares for future challenges, they aim to address these issues and enhance their overall gameplay.
