Juventus 2 Spurs 2

There is nothing quite like an encounter between major European clubs and last night’s tie lived up to its billing. Pargie called to say The Racing Post predicted a draw. Juventus might have a formidable home record but they have a long injury list and their renowned defence is growing old.

After scoring two early goals, Juve ceded play to a vigorous and invigorating Spurs side who thoroughly deserved their draw.

For 20 years Spurs were not a top four side and lay in the shadow of their north London rivals but under Pochetino they have raised their game and status. The worry for Spurs fans is that this has not gone unnoticed in Real Madrid where Zidane’s job is under threat.

My mind went back to one of my most enduring sporting memories: Spurs’ semi-final clash with Benfica in the early sixties.

Real Madrid had won the European Cup five years in succession but their reign ended as power shifted  to Portugal and Benfica. Under Bela Guttmnaa, a Hungarian Jew who jumped a train to avoid the camps, they numbered Eusebio, Coluna, Cavem, the free scoring Aguas and the agile Pereira in goal.

Benfica lost 1-2  at White Hart Lane but won the return 3-1 to beat Barcelona in the final. I cannot recall how I followed  the game. It was not live as so few games were (the Cup Final, the Amateur Cup, Finland England v Scotland) but like most schoolboys I had my soccer annual and read Charlie Buchan’s Football Monthly.

The annual was the Book of Champions and Spurs progressed to the semi finals beating Gornik Zabrze and Dukla Prague en route were covered with grainy black and white photos. Spurs would play European games in all white kit and to the strains of “When the Spurs Go Marching In” Danny Blanchflower, would lead out Dave Mackay, John White, Bobby Smith on the floodlit green sward. Spurs were not then in football’s European elite despite winning the double.

It was Real Madrid and then Benfica ending the hegemony of Iberia before the trophy switched to Northern Italy with AC and Inter Milan. It was Manchester United in 1968 and Celtic in 1970 that signalled the power shift to Northern Europe and in the seventies Ajax and Bayern dominated. Now it’s going to be tough for the plutocrats like Manchester City and PSG to break the grip that Real, Barcelona and Bayern have on the trophy,

I fear that the end product of a fine Champions League campaign will be the move of Pochettino and Harry Kane to Real Madrid. As for Juve they no longer sit at the Euro high table and their squad will require expensive introduction so to do,