Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris hails his facet’s character after dramatic comeback win in Marseille

Hugo Lloris believes Tottenham’s Champions League comeback win over Marseille highlighted the rising character amongst his team-mates, however Paul Merson warns they can’t hold counting on fightbacks.

Antonio Conte’s facet grabbed an unlikely last-gasp 2-1 victory on the Stade Velodrome to succeed in the Champions League final 16 as Group D winners after a nerve-jangling climax.

The Londoners, who wanted solely to keep away from defeat to undergo, endured a first-half siege and trailed to Chancel Mbemba’s header in stoppage time earlier than the break. However, Clement Lenglet proved to be Tottenham’s saviour when he headed in his first aim for the membership within the 54th minute to stage.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg then sealed the victory in stoppage time to place Tottenham high of the group and go away Marseille, who at one stage of the night sat high, in fourth spot and out of Europe.

“To be honest, we expected that type of game. The Stade Velodrome is a very difficult place to deal with and I think we showed great personality,” Lloris mentioned.

“Clement (Lenglet) scored a vital aim in France, in entrance of the French individuals. The second aim from Pierre (Hojbjerg) confirmed issues for the group. We did not play nicely throughout the first half. Maybe we did not know what would occur if we assault. It wasn’t good for us to play such a first half.

“We communicate within the locker room – we begin the second half with way more character and aggressive. We play an excellent second half.

“It was a tough night, a great battle and even more psychological battle because we could feel in the first half a team was playing without the fear to lose, it was Marseille, and in the second half we face a team with the fear to lose.”

Merson: Spurs via however should enhance

It was a consequence that hardly appeared doable within the opening 45 minutes as Spurs appeared dazed and confused by Marseille’s relentless onslaught.

Spurs, who misplaced ahead Heung-Min Son to a head harm in a torrid opening interval, have been a unique proposition after the interval and took management after Lenglet’s equaliser. Hojbjerg struck the crossbar for the guests however Marseille ought to have scored late on when Sead Kolasinac by some means missed an open aim with a header.

Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson believes Tottenham must enhance if they’re to progress any additional within the competitors having reached the last-16 stage.

“Spurs couldn’t put three passes together in the first half,” Merson instructed Soccer Special. “As soon as they started putting more passes together the game opened up for them and they were a threat. They managed the game well.

“Tottenham did very nicely within the second half however whenever you get to the final 16 you possibly can’t hold giving groups head begins. It will meet up with you ahead of later.

“When the shackles are off and the fear factor goes out of the game, Spurs have some good players who can move the ball about very quickly. But they don’t do that, they sit back. Kane was literally 35 yards from his own goal in the first half. They didn’t have an outlet; they’ve got to take a chance sometimes. It’s too negative for me.

“You cannot hold giving groups head begins. They’ve been lucky in a few video games like Bournemouth on Saturday and once more at present towards a median group in Marseille.”

Son ‘feeling better’ but head injury to be assessed

Tottenham will wait till Wednesday to evaluate the extent of the harm suffered by Heung-Min Son within the Champions League win at Marseille.

The South Korean went off within the first half on the Stade Velodrome after a collision with Chancel Mbemba and appeared very wobbly as he left the pitch.

Spurs went on to ebook their place within the final 16 with a last-gasp 2-1 win as second-half targets from Clement Lenglet and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg overturned Mbemba’s first-half opener.

But the harm to Son is a fear, particularly with the Premier League conflict with Liverpool developing on Sunday, whereas he might have worries over the forthcoming World Cup.

Assistant head coach Cristian Stellini, standing in for the banned Antonio Conte, mentioned: “In this moment we don’t know. We have to wait for a medical assessment. Sonny feels better now. I saw him in the dressing room, he celebrated with us.

“In this second we do not know. We have to attend for a medical evaluation and we have now to attend till tomorrow.

“We are not sure if he is concussed. It is Son’s face. His eye is a bit swollen.”

Spurs’ place within the final 16 was not assured till Hojbjerg received it with the final kick of the sport to seal high spot in Group D.

With Marseille needing a win to undergo and a defeat knocking Spurs out, it was a night of jeopardy for the Premier League facet in a hostile surroundings in Provence.

Conte, who celebrates one 12 months in cost on Wednesday, was pressured to observe from the stands attributable to his purple card after the VAR controversy towards Sporting Lisbon final week, which meant Tottenham’s qualification destiny went right down to the ultimate recreation.

And the Italian was put via the wringer as his facet produced a listless first-half efficiency, deservedly falling behind to Mbemba’s header.

The second half was a unique story, although, and Lenglet put Spurs again in management with a header of his personal within the 54th minute.

But with Marseille needing only one aim to ship them out, it was a nervy night till Hojbjerg’s late intervention.

And it was not a night Conte loved.

Stellini added: “I had the possibility to talk with Antonio. He was very tired. He lived the game in the crowd, it’s not normal.

“Maybe he spent extra power within the stands than he usually spends on the touchline.

“It was very troublesome the primary half. In the difficulties, we did not lose our minds. We stayed within the match. It was horrible the aim we conceded as a result of from a nook they took it rapidly and we weren’t ready.

“It is an important lesson for the future. But in the second half, something changed and we spoke in the dressing about the energy we need in the second half and the way we have to press them and counter the game.

“In such a stadium and such a match, a knockout, it’s not very simple.

“The stadium was very hot in the first half and sometimes it is normal to give the possibility to the opponent to play, to use the energy you have in the second half. It could also be a strategy.

“We must attempt to play all of the 90 minutes in the identical stage.”

Which teams are already through to the last 16?

• Bayern Munich*
• Benfica
• Chelsea*
• Club Brugge
• Dortmund
• Frankfurt
• Inter Milan
• Liverpool
• Manchester City*
• Napoli*
• Paris Saint-Germain
• Porto*
• Real Madrid
• Tottenham*

*signifies sides who will certainly be seeded within the last-16 draw

What’s subsequent?

Sunday sixth November 4:00pm


Kick off 4:30pm

Tottenham have three extra fixtures forward of the World Cup. They face Liverpool on Super Sunday this weekend, dwell on Sky Sports from 4pm; kick-off 4.30pm. They will then face Nottingham Forest within the Carabao Cup on Wednesday November 9 earlier than their ultimate Premier League match towards Leeds on Saturday November 12; kick-off 3pm.

Marseille have two additional Ligue 1 fixtures forward of the break – they face Lyon on Sunday earlier than a visit to Monaco on Sunday November 13.

The draw for the final 16 of the Champions League can be held at 11am on Monday, November 7, on the House of European Football at UEFA headquarters in Switzerland.