Champions League
TottenhamTottenham Hotspur3Real MadridReal Madrid1

Tottenham Hotspur 3-1 Real Madrid

By Phil McNultyChief football writer at Wembley Stadium
Dele Alli
Dele Alli grabbed his sixth goal for Tottenham this season

Tottenham secured qualification for the Champions League knockout phase with an outstanding display to beat holders Real Madrid on a memorable night at Wembley.

Spurs, with striker Harry Kane fit again after a hamstring injury, showed intensity and quality to make their mark on the Champions League after going out at the group stage last season.

Dele Alli gave Spurs the lead after 27 minutes when he turned in Kieran Trippier's cross from close range, then doubled the advantage early in the second half with a shot that took a deflection off Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos.

Christian Eriksen provided a cool finish from Kane's pass for the third and even though Cristiano Ronaldo pulled one back for Real with 10 minutes left, it was too little, too late, as Spurs made a powerful statement about their European aspirations.

The only blip for Spurs was the injury to defender Toby Alderweireld who came off with a hamstring injury in the 24th minute. The Belgian said he would be "out for a few weeks".

They lead Group H with 10 points, three more than second-place Real while both Borussia Dortmund and Apoel Nicosia have two points after they drew 1-1.

Tottenham's success also came on a excellent night for English clubs in Champions League action with Manchester City winning 4-2 at Napoli and Liverpool recording a 3-0 victory over Maribor.

In a BBC Sport poll, 42% of voters picked Tottenham to make the quarter-finals in the Champions League.

Alli back to his best

Dele Alli (right)
Alli is the first Englishman to score two against Real Madrid in the Champions League since Steven Gerrard in March 2009

Alli has fallen just short of his very best this season - but against the Champions League holders, he produced a display to savour.

The 21-year-old is bound to suffer peaks and troughs at this early stage in his career and he has received unfavourable headlines this season. He was criticised for a dive as Spurs won at Huddersfield in September, and was involved in a well-chronicled spat with Ashley Young during Saturday's defeat at Manchester United.

Alli also served a one-match international suspension following a gesture he made during England's World Cup qualifier against Slovakia at Wembley.

However, it was all good news on this night, as he strolled majestically through midfield - no doubt impressing the watching Real Madrid hierarchy who have followed his rise at Spurs with interest.

Alli was the poacher as he stole in on Trippier's cross for his first goal - and while his second owed much to a heavy deflection off Ramos, it was reward for another surging run at the heart of the Real Madrid defence.

He should have had a hat-trick when he headed wide of an open goal, but it was a minor blemish.

England manager Gareth Southgate was an interested spectator at Wembley and he will have been delighted to see Alli in such form, as well as Kane back from injury, as he prepares for testing friendlies against Germany and Brazil in November.

Pochettino's reputation grows further

Mauricio Pochettino
Mauricio Pochettino's side had 11 shots on goal against Real Madrid

Mauricio Pochettino's name was sung loud and long at Wembley as his exciting Spurs side played in the manner that has become the Argentine's trademark.

Real Madrid were on the receiving end of a performance in pressing intensity, pace and power as Tottenham's manager conducted affairs, standing yards from counterpart Zinedine Zidane on the touchline.

Pochettino has yet to bring silverware to Spurs since his appointment in May 2014 but there can be no denying the progress they have made, nor the regard in which he is held by his squad.

He received plaudits when Spurs earned an excellent draw at the Bernabeu on 17 October. The manner of their win here had his imprint all across it.

Spurs may be waiting to cross that bridge to winning a trophy but this is a team and manager on an upward trajectory, as Real Madrid have discovered.

Spurs at home on the big stage

The scenes of elation that swept around Wembley at the final whistle proved how far Tottenham have come in a year - and how they can sit comfortably alongside the Champions League elite.

It was a sharp contrast to last season, when Spurs failed to advance from the group stage after defeats by Monaco and Bayer Leverkusen at Wembley, and were then knocked out of the Europa League in the last 32 by Gent.

This was a Tottenham team at ease against the best. It is too early to speculate just how far they can go, but in this mood, Spurs can pose a threat to anyone.

Man of the match - Dele Alli (Tottenham)

Dele Alli
Alli proved against Real Madrid that Spurs are not a 'Harry Kane team' - he has now scored four goals in four games

'Ronaldo continues scoring run' - the stats

  • Tottenham have inflicted Real Madrid's first loss in the Champions League group stage since October 2012, ending a 30-game unbeaten run.
  • This is Real Madrid's biggest margin of defeat in a Champions League group game since November 2008, losing 2-0 against Juventus.
  • Tottenham have finally defeated Real Madrid at their sixth attempt after losing three and drawing two of the previous five.
  • Spurs are still yet to keep a clean sheet in European competition at Wembley, conceding eight goals in six games.
  • Alli is the first Englishman to score a brace against Real Madrid in the Champions League since Steven Gerrard (March 2009).
  • Alli has scored four goals in his last four games for Spurs; one more than he managed in his first nine this season.
  • Trippier has recorded 13 assists in all competitions in 2017; six more than any other Premier League defender.
  • Ronaldo has scored 10 goals v Tottenham in all comps, more than against any other English side.

What's next?

Spurs are at home to Crystal Palace on Sunday (12:00 GMT) and Real are at home to Las Palmas on the same day in La Liga (19:45 GMT).

Line-ups

Tottenham

Formation 3-5-1-1

  • 1Lloris
  • 4AlderweireldSubstituted forSissokoat 24'minutes
  • 6D Sánchez
  • 5Vertonghen
  • 2Trippier
  • 23Eriksen
  • 15Dier
  • 29WinksSubstituted forDembéléat 66'minutesBooked at 89mins
  • 33Davies
  • 20Alli
  • 10KaneSubstituted forLlorenteat 79'minutes

Substitutes

  • 3Rose
  • 7Son Heung-min
  • 13Vorm
  • 17Sissoko
  • 18Llorente
  • 19Dembélé
  • 24Aurier

Real Madrid

Formation 4-1-2-1-2

  • 13Casilla
  • 19Hakimi
  • 6Nacho
  • 4RamosBooked at 90mins
  • 12Marcelo
  • 14Casemiro
  • 10ModricSubstituted forHernándezat 81'minutes
  • 8Kroos
  • 22IscoSubstituted forMayoralat 73'minutes
  • 7Cristiano Ronaldo
  • 9BenzemaSubstituted forAsensioat 73'minutes

Substitutes

  • 3Vallejo
  • 15Hernández
  • 17Vázquez
  • 20Asensio
  • 21Mayoral
  • 24Ceballos
  • 35Ramos Wade
Referee:
Cüneyt Çakir
Attendance:
83,782

Match Stats

Home TeamTottenhamAway TeamReal Madrid
Possession
Home37%
Away63%
Shots
Home10
Away20
Shots on Target
Home6
Away9
Corners
Home1
Away11
Fouls
Home14
Away6

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Tottenham Hotspur 3, Real Madrid 1.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Tottenham Hotspur 3, Real Madrid 1.

  3. Post update

    Attempt missed. Marcelo (Real Madrid) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left following a corner.

  4. Post update

    Corner, Real Madrid. Conceded by Ben Davies.

  5. Post update

    Marcelo (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  6. Post update

    Foul by Mousa Dembélé (Tottenham Hotspur).

  7. Booking

    Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid) is shown the yellow card.

  8. Post update

    Foul by Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid).

  9. Post update

    Fernando Llorente (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  10. Post update

    Attempt missed. Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Achraf Hakimi with a cross.

  11. Booking

    Mousa Dembélé (Tottenham Hotspur) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

  12. Post update

    Toni Kroos (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  13. Post update

    Foul by Mousa Dembélé (Tottenham Hotspur).

  14. Post update

    Casemiro (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  15. Post update

    Foul by Fernando Llorente (Tottenham Hotspur).

  16. Post update

    Foul by Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid).

  17. Post update

    Dele Alli (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

  18. Post update

    Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid) wins a free kick on the left wing.

  19. Post update

    Foul by Mousa Dembélé (Tottenham Hotspur).

  20. Post update

    Dangerous play by Nacho (Real Madrid).

Comments

Join the conversation

These comments are now closed.

538 comments

As It Stood

A

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Man Utd4400101912
2FC Basel42028536
3CSKA Moscow420258-36
4Benfica4004110-90

B

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1PSG44001701712
2Bayern Munich43018449
3Celtic4103410-63
4Anderlecht4004015-150

C

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Roma42208448
2Chelsea421111747
3Atl Madrid403123-13
4FK Qarabag402229-72

D

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Barcelona431071610
2Juventus42115507
3Sporting411256-14
4Olympiakos401338-51

E

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Liverpool4220133108
2Sevilla42118807
3Spartak Moscow41218535
4NK Maribor4013114-131

F

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Man City4400123912
2Shakhtar Donetsk43017529
3Napoli410379-23
4Feyenoord4004312-90

G

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Besiktas431083510
2FC Porto42029726
3RB Leipzig411258-34
4Monaco402237-42

H

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Tottenham4310103710
2Real Madrid42118537
3B Dortmund402248-42
4Apoel Nicosia402228-62
View full Champions League tables

Elsewhere on the BBC