Spurs' solid foundation delights Thomas Frank
In a tightly contested match, Tottenham Hotspur secured a 1-0 victory over Villarreal in the Champions League. The match, low on chances and evenly balanced, saw a single shot on target by either team, an own goal by Luiz Junior in the fourth minute. Despite the cynical tackle on Nicolas Pepe that went unpunished, Xavi Simons, the Dutch attacking midfielder currently on loan from RB Leipzig, stayed on the pitch for Tottenham. His performance was mixed, combining well with Djed Spence on some occasions, but also snatching at an effort and dragging wide. After the break, Villarreal pushed on further in search of an equaliser, but were unable to level the score. One of their best chances came when Nicolas Pepe's shot was deflected wide. Micky van de Ven received only a caution for hauling down Georges Mikautadze, allowing Pepe to take a free-kick that went inches wide. Xavi Simons could have earned a red card after half-time for a questionable action, but was only booked. Tottenham manager Thomas Frank was pleased with the clean sheet and the defensive performance, praising his team's resilience. Marcelino believes there were two clear actions during the match that warranted further review. He thinks Xavi Simons' first action on the field looked deliberate and not accidental. Despite the loss, Marcelino is proud and happy with Villarreal's performance and the image they presented in Europe. The match between Liverpool and Atletico Madrid in the Champions League will be broadcast on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player on Wednesday from 7.30pm. A live blog will be available on the RTE website/sport and the RTE News app. Meanwhile, Tottenham struggled offensively to create chances against Villarreal, a testament to Villarreal's defensive prowess.
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