THE only consolation is this was probably irrelevant — as the Champions League is likely to be halted by the coronavirus anyway.
And that is pretty much where Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham are right now. Being consoled by a global health crisis.
RB Leipzig midfielder Marcel Sabitzer wheels away in joy after netting twice in the first half en route to a decisive 3-0 victoryCredit: AFP or licensors
Hugo Lloris looks on despairingly as he conceded a second poor goal on the night in GermanyCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Emil Forsberg is the centre of attention after completing the rout for Leipzig with his first touch as substituteCredit: AP:Associated Press
This was humiliating for Mourinho and his ragged team, who were given a bloody goring by Red Bull Leipzig.
It is five defeats and a draw from six matches for Spurs now and their season will be effectively over if they are defeated by in-form Manchester United at White Hart Lane on Sunday.
Although the Premier League season may go down the gurgler, too.
Feeling consoled, Spurs fans?
Mourinho will use Tottenham’s injury list, and especially their lack of striking options, as an excuse but he got it badly wrong here.
Butter-fingered Hugo Lloris should have stopped both of Marcel Sabitzer’s first-half goals but the Frenchman could hardly have been inspired by a shambolic defence, guilty of frequent errors.
Spurs lacked a coherent game-plan, possessing neither the purpose nor the wit to even make a game of it.
Mourinho was the future once. Now Red Bull’s 32-year-old head coach Julian Nagelsmann is the coming man.
Spurs had overturned this same first-leg deficit, without Harry Kane, in last season’s semi-final against Ajax but as Mourinho had pointed out, he has no Fernando Llorente, no recognised centre-forward, to pump it long to.
He had hardly been brimming with optimism about his team’s chances and those who had followed Spurs to Germany travelled in hope rather than expectation.
Beleaguered boss Jose Mourinho bawls out instructions as Tottenham struggle to battle their way back into the tie at RB LeipzigCredit: AFP or licensors
Austria star Marcel Sabitzer puts RB Leipzig in front on his way to a double in the first 21 minutesCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Asked whether he would follow the ancient Spurs motto ‘To dare is to do’, Mourinho had said that he would, yet he sounded unconvincing and sent out a back five.
Spurs hit the ground shambling and were behind in ten minutes.
Timo Werner had a shot blocked by Eric Dier then turned the rebound back to Sabitzer, the midfielder scuffing his shot but Hugo Lloris unable to stop it despite getting his right hand to the ball.
It was not the Frenchman’s finest moment, though he may have been deceived by the low quality of the strike.
Nagelsmann’s side were zipping it around nicely, Spurs chasing shadows.
Dier and Tanganga got into an almighty tangle, leaving the ball for each other and almost letting in Werner before Dier got a challenge in.
It took 17 minutes for Mourinho’s men to launch a meaningful attack, Giovani Lo Celso bursting forwards and feeding Serge Aurier, who drilled in a low cross from which Dayot Upamecano almost turned the ball into his own
net.
From the resulting corner, though, Leipzig broke and Werner tapped home an Angelino centre before he was denied by an offside flag.
But it did not take long for Manchester City loanee Angelino to produce a cross which told. He profited from Aurier failing to make a clearing header, darted down the left and clipped one in for Sabitzer at the near post.
The Austrian’s header was a fine one but again Lloris got his right glove to it but failed to keep it out.
The Spurs skipper has become far too prone to these mistakes in recent times but a keeper’s gaffes are always highlighted.
France keeper Hugo Lloris fails to keep out a second goal for Austrian midfielder Marcel Sabitzer as Spurs crashed outCredit: Rex Features
Spurs were making similar individual errors across the pitch and being completely overrun by the bright, bullish German outfit — who were showboating and embarrassing their visitors well before half-time.
Spurs had gone two-down, and three-down on aggregate, in Amsterdam but this is no longer the aggressive, proactive Spurs of Mauricio Pochettino.
Harry Winks was having a particularly poor night, Ryan Sessegnon struggled in his defensive duties and the front three of Lucas Mora, Dele Alli and Erik Lamela were seeing little of the ball.
Lo Celso, a rare bright spark as he has often been in recent weeks, finally put Leipzig keeper Peter Gulacsi to work just before half-time when he swivelled and shot low, forcing a sprawling save.
But Tottenham’s first-half display was summed up by Dier cannoning a clearance off Tanganga to Patrick Schick, Lloris scrambling to save.
Mourinho sent his men out early for the second half — fleas in ears, rockets up backsides.
Yet there was little sign of a resurgence, only a long break in play when Nordi Mukiele was carted off on a stretcher having seemingly been knocked out by a ball to the face.
Marcel Sabitzer leaves Spurs hopes on the slide by striking on 10 and 21 minutesCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Jose Mourinho does the elbow bump with Leipzig boss Julian Nagelsmann before the game due to coronavirusCredit: AFP or licensors
Tottenham’s misery was compounded in the 88th minute when Emil Forsberg — who had been on as a sub for just seconds — stabbed home after Dier failed to cut out an Angelino cross and Sessegnon missed a tackle.
Leipzig progress to the quarter-finals. If indeed there are any quarter-finals.
Spurs are heading towards a period of self-isolation from European football. They may be gone for some time.
Harry Kane spotted in Tottenham training for first time since hamstring injury in huge England Euro 2020 boost
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
