Leipzig 3-0 Tottenham: Injury-laden Spurs eliminated from Champions League

Tottenham Hotspur’s Champions League journey is over, losing 3-0 on the day at RB Leipzig and 4-0 on aggregate and putting in another below average performance while dealing with an injury crisis.

The match opened well for Spurs, with Dele getting close to scoring in the sixth minute. The good work that was evident in the first ten minutes was quickly canceled out by Leipzig, as Marcel Sabitzer scored the first goal of the game. Timo Werner, who scored the last leg’s lone goal, found Sabitzer outside of the penalty area, and the midfielder then scored from there.

Spurs then returned to the poor form of recent matches, with a number of weak links on the field making it incapable for the team to really get themselves back into the first half. That meant a tactically strong Leipzig was dominant, and eventually found another goal. Sabitzer completed his brace in the 21st minute, with Angeliño providing him with the cross for his header.

The rhythm of the first half continued as such, though Spurs had their best chance of the half when Giovani Lo Celso sent the ball towards Dele in the penalty area, only for Péter Gulásci to make the save. Spurs closed out the first half 2-0 down, and with the Champions League quarterfinals just about out of reach.

The second half was a more dull version of the first, with the superior and inferior teams — and players — clearly assigned and maintaining their statuses. Leipzig ended up with fewer big chances in the second half, and Spurs even tested the Leipzig defense a few times as the half came to a close. Adding some fresh legs, Leipzig eventually got a third goal from substitute Emil Forsberg. Angeliño sent a ball into the messy penalty area, and the ball eventually bounced off Eric Dier’s foot. Unfortunately for him, it landed right at the feet of Forsberg, who scored on his first touch of the game in the 87th minute.

Though the match went swimmingly for Leipzig, the team received a blow when Nordi Mukiele came off with an injury in the 56th minute.

Despite the poor play — and the result basically being locked in at halftime — José Mourinho opted to make his first substitute in the 80th minute, when Lo Celso came off for Gedson Fernandes. Youth product Malachi Fagan-Walcott, though, made his debut by coming on for Serge Aurier in the first minute of stoppage time on the day before his 18th birthday.

Spurs cut the number of competitions they are in from three to two, and next face Manchester United in Premier League action on Sunday, Marcch 15.