TOTTENHAM 0-0 RB LEIPZIG
Tottenham named Gedson Fernandes in midfield for their Champions League last-16 first-leg tie with RB Leipzig.
Gedson started just his second game since joining from Benfica last month, with Giovani Lo Celso moving into a more advanced position in the absence of Son Heung-min.
Chelsea loanee Ethan Ampadu started for Leipzig amid a defensive crisis, but former Everton striker Ademola Lookman was on the bench.
Tottenham: Lloris, Aurier, Alderweireld, Sanchez, Davies, Winks, Fernandes, Lo Celso, Alli, Bergwijn, Lucas Moura
RB Leipzig: Gulacsi, Mukiele, Klostermann, Halstenberg Angelino, Laimer, Ampadu, Sabitzer, Nkunku, Schick, Werner
TOTTENHAM 0-0 RB LEIPZIG
45: And we’re back underway. No changes for either side. Jose Mourinho with that shaved head of his is looking deeply concerned. Julian Nagelsmann looks remarkably calm.
TOTTENHAM 0-0 RB LEIPZIG
HT: I suspect Jose Mourinho will be delighted with a goalless first 45 minutes. His side have been battered virtually from start to finish with Patrik Schick and Timo Werner both squandering good chances. Plenty of thinking for the Portuguese tactician to do with that notebook oh his taking a battering.
42: Davinson Sanchez to the rescue as the Spurs centre-back slides in to deny Patrik Schick a tap-in in the middle of the six-yard box. Elsewhere Atalanta are now 2-0 up against Valencia, who are quite frankly crumbling. Josip Ilicic with the second.
39: Spurs carve out a relatively decent chance down the right with Gedson Fernandes fizzing a cross over for Dele Alli, but again a RB Leipzig giant deals with the danger before the midfielder could divert it towards goal.
36: Patrik Schick picks out Timo Werner in acres of space. The German forward takes a couple of touches to steady himself before blasting straight at Hugo Lloris. Really should be 1-0.
33: Typically as I post the last update, Spurs have their second effort. A Tottenham corner is half-cleared over to Gedson Fernandes, who lines it up before thwacking it miles over the crossbar. Timo Werner is booked for tripping Harry Winks.
31: Spurs’ only shot in the match was Steven Bergwijn’s effort after eight minutes.
28: Sign of revival from Tottenham as Serge Aurier bends a delightful cross in from the right. It looks for all the world that Dele Alli will convert but Lukas Klostermann, who’s been linked with Barcelona, gets up to head it away.
25: Is that right? Well it must be I suppose. RB Leipzig have had 10 shots in the opening 25 minutes with three of those on target. Atletico Madrid didn’t allow Liverpool one last night!
21: Just the glimmer of an opening for Spurs as Ethan Ampadu and Marcel Halstenberg get in a muddle. Lucas Moura looks to nip in and collect the loose ball but the Leipzig defender recovers. Incidentally, Ampadu got rid of the dreadlocks. Boooooooo!
18: Atalanta are leading against Valencia in tonight’s other last-16 tie. A fella named Hans Hateboer got the goal in the early stages.
15: Well there’s no denying it – RB Leipzig are in control of this tie. They have enjoyed 60 per cent possession and the better of the chances. Patrik Schick goes close again when guiding a corner just wide of the far post. Think that’s his third attempt of the evening already.
12: Booked! Could be a busy evening for the referee tonight with the speed he’s dishing out these cautions. Marcel Sabitzer is booked for chopping down Steven Bergwijn around the halfway line.
9: OK, we’ve only had nine minutes of this but I’m convinced that it will be a classic. Just breathless. Booked! Giovani Lo Celso is shown a yellow card for a rather needless challenge on Marcel Sabitzer.
6: Nice response! Giovani Lo Celso pops it through the legs of Nordi Mukiele to find Steven Bergwijn, who cuts inside and fires. His effort is nearly tapped in by the stretching Dele Alli but the Spurs midfielder is offside.
3: Blocked! The Bundesliga challengers are unrelenting in their pursuit of the opener. They are quick, sharp and very well organised. Timo Werner again looks to test Hugo Lloris but Harry Winks throws his body in the way.
TOTTENHAM 0-0 RB LEIPZIG
1: And we’re underway in north London. I was going to ramble about the size of the occasion but there’s no time to dwell because RB Leipzig have started like an absolute train!
First Patrik Schick sends a nice half-volley inches wide of the target, and seconds later Hugo Lloris is drawn into action. The Frenchman deflects Angelino’s effort against the post before denying Timo Werner from point-blank range.
Starting XI
Tottenham named Gedson Fernandes in midfield for their Champions League last-16 first-leg tie with RB Leipzig.
Gedson started just his second game since joining from Benfica last month, with Giovani Lo Celso moving into a more advanced position in the absence of Son Heung-min.
Chelsea loanee Ethan Ampadu started for Leipzig amid a defensive crisis, but former Everton striker Ademola Lookman was on the bench.
Tottenham: Lloris, Aurier, Alderweireld, Sanchez Davies, Winks, Fernandes, Lo Celso, Alli, Bergwijn, Lucas Moura.
Subs: Vertonghen, Lamela, Dier, Gazzaniga, Ndombele, Skipp Tanganga.
RB Leipzig: Gulacsi, Mukiele, Klostermann, Halstenberg Angelino, Laimer, Ampadu, Sabitzer, Nkunku, Schick, Werner.
Subs: Haidara, Poulsen, Forsberg, Lookman, Wolf, Olmo, Mvogo.
Referee: Cuneyt Cakir
The British contingent…
There are a couple of familiar names in the RB Leipzig squad in the shape of Ademola Lookman and Nathan Ampadu. Lookman signed last summer for a fee of £22.5million having initially enjoyed a loan spell in 2018, where he scored five goals in 11 games.
Things have been tougher since his permanent move, however, as for a variety of reasons he has played just seven times this season and was linked with a move away in the January transfer window.
Chelsea defender Nathan Ampadu is on a season-long loan and has struggled for game time. However, a defensive crisis has seen him given a chance, with his appearance in the weekend win over Werder Bremen just his sixth of the campaign.
