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RB Leipzig vs Tottenham Hotspur. UEFA Champions League Round of 16.

Red Bull ArenaAttendance42,146.

RB Leipzig 3

  • M Sabitzer (10th minute, 21st minute)
  • E Forsberg (87th minute)

Tottenham Hotspur 0

    4-0

    RB Leipzig 3-0 Tottenham (Agg: 4-0): Spurs exit Champions League after humbling defeat

    Result means Jose Mourinho has still not reached the Champions League last eight since 2013/2014

    Spurs trio Giovani Lo Celso, Japhet Tanganga and Serge Aurier react during the game at RB Leipzig
    Image: Spurs players look dejected during the defeat

    Tottenham exited the Champions League without a fight as RB Leipzig ran out 3-0 winners on Tuesday to reach the quarter-final, going through 4-0 on aggregate.

    Spurs kicked off needing at least a goal, but that became three midway through the first half as Marcel Sabitzer scored twice, first with a low effort from range (10), and then with a near post header (21), though Hugo Lloris will draw criticism for both.

    There was to be no Champions League miracle for Spurs this year, barely creating a clear-cut chance, as Leipzig eased out the game in second gear, sealing the victory late on through sub Emil Forsberg's first touch (87).

    Marcel Sabitzer celebrates scoring against Spurs
    Image: Marcel Sabitzer celebrates scoring his first against Tottenham

    The result means Jose Mourinho has not reached the Champions League last eight since 2013/2014 with Chelsea, while many will want to avoid the impressive Leipzig in the quarter-final draw on March 20.

    Player ratings

    RB Leipzig: Gulacsi (6), Angelino (7), Upamecano (8), Sabitzer (8), Werner (7), Klostermann (7), Nkunku (7), Schick (7), Mukiele (7), Halstenberg (7), Laimer (7)

    Subs: Adams (6), Haidara (6), Forsberg (7)

    Tottenham: Lloris (4), Aurier (5), Alderweireld (5), Dier (5), Tanganga (5), Sessegnon (5), Winks (5), Lo Celso (6), Lamela, (6) Moura (6), Alli (5)

    Subs: Gedson Fernandes (NA), Fagan-Walcott (NA)

    Man of the match: Marcel Sabitzer

    How Spurs were outclassed in Germany

    After Spurs' heroics in Amsterdam last season, anything was possible in Leipzig, but Mourinho's side were down and out before they could draw breath.

    Spurs could not deal with the pace and movement of Leipzig, and fell behind as Sabitzer's effort from 20 yards reached the bottom left corner, though Lloris could have got a stronger hand to the effort.

    Jose Mourinho on the touchline during Spurs' Champions League tie at RB Leipzig
    Image: Jose Mourinho looks on during the humbling defeat

    The visitors had to react by attacking, but left holes at the back as Leipzig went two ahead on the night. Angelino, on loan from Manchester City, centred for Sabitzer again, and his glancing header from 10 yards beat Lloris, who got a hand to the ball once more, but ultimately a weak hand.

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    Tottenham's best opening of the first half came through Giovani Lo Celso, finding a yard in the box, but seeing his curling low effort kept out by Peter Gulacsi, before Eric Dier nearly turned into his own net just before the break, but for Lloris' scrambling save.

    Leipzig took their foot off the gas in an attacking sense after half-time, but still mustered up half-chances missed by Timo Werner and Patrik Schick, before Dele Alli's effort from a Lucas Moura centre was straight at Gulacsi.

    Dele Alli reacts during Spurs' match against RB Leipzig
    Image: Dele Alli reacts during Spurs' match against RB Leipzig

    The win was rounded off by Forsberg late on, finishing into the far corner from 12 yards just 32 seconds after coming on as a substitute.

    Team news

    Tottenham were hit with more injury woe as Davinson Sanchez was not fit enough to feature on Tuesday night. The centre-back was the latest to go down with a fitness issue, though the problem is not expected to be serious.

    Japhet Tanganga came into a back three, with academy player Malachi Fagan-Walcott, who is 18 on Wednesday, named on the bench.

    Timo Werner was named in RB Leipzig's starting XI after being rested at the weekend.

    Tottenham's season is in danger of being over by mid-March, with defeat against Manchester United on Sunday potentially leaving them 10 points off the top four with eight to play, as last season's finalists wonder when they will next hear the famous Champions League theme tune.

    What the manager said...

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    Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho says his side will only get better next season, blaming injuries as the main reason for their Champions League defeat to RB Leipzig.

    Spurs head coach Jose Mourinho: "The match I think of course the best team won. Physicality, intensity, counter attack, winning duels, really strong team in the top of their condition, with their best players, a bench that has quality, against a team that is in trouble, you could see. I don't need to repeat the same things again, we have lots of problems, and it is really, really difficult.

    "[On Monday] I was very positive, but that's the way I have to be, and there is no point before the game not to believe, not to be motivated, optimistic, that is the way we sportsman have to be before every competition, but the reality is a different thing. One team in this moment is much stronger than we are.

    "All the players that were in Leipzig's bench, they would all play in my team in this moment. So that is a big problem."

    Lucas Moura is consoled by Jose Mourinho after Tottenham's Champions League exit
    Image: Lucas Moura is consoled by Mourinho after Tottenham's Champions League exit

    Analysis: Man Utd match now decisive for Spurs' future

    Sky Sports' Peter Smith...

    "It was a sorry way to exit the Champions League after the joy Tottenham and their supporters had taken from the competition under Mauricio Pochettino last season. Now, with Harry Kane, Heung-Min Son, Steven Bergwijn, Moussa Sissoko, Ben Davies, Davinson Sanchez and Juan Foyth also on the injury list, Spurs are on their knees, out of the cups and with a manager who has already stated his wish for this season to be over.

    "Out of form, missing key players, defensive disarray, toothless in attack… But somehow Spurs must find a way to raise themselves for an absolutely decisive game against Mourinho's former club Manchester United on Sunday.

    "Defeat would all but end Spurs' ambitions for the season - and have ramifications for plans Mourinho has for upgrading his squad in the summer transfer window."

    Tottenham: One game to save their season - read the feature here

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    Jose Mourinho was told to 'cheer up’ by a member of the media at the end of his press conference following Tottenham’s defeat to RB Leipzig.

    Stats behind Mourinho's struggles

    • Spurs manager Jose Mourinho is winless in six matches in all competitions (D2 L4) - the longest winless run of his entire managerial career, with tonight his 935th match.
    • Mourinho suffered his joint-heaviest Champions League defeat, with tonight's result equalling the 4-1 defeat he suffered with Real Madrid against Borussia Dortmund in April 2013.
    • Mourinho suffered three consecutive Champions League defeats for the first time, with the Portuguese also winless in eight Champions League knockout matches (D4 L4).
    • Mourinho has exited the Champions League in the last 16 stage for the third time in a row (2014/15, Chelsea vs PSG and 2017/18, Man Utd vs Sevilla)
    • Only Aston Villa (42) have conceded more goals among Premier League clubs in all competitions than Spurs (38) since Mourinho's first game in charge last November.

    What's next?

    Tottenham host Manchester United on Super Sunday, live on Sky Sports Premier League at 4.30pm, while Leipzig are at home to Freiburg in the Bundesliga on Saturday at 2.30pm.

    The draw for the Champions League quarter-finals will be held on March 20 at 11am.

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