Thomas Frank has said he has been pleased with the solid foundation Spurs have shown this season after the club’s hard-fought 1-0 win over Villarreal.
Tottenham opened their Champions League campaign with a narrow win over the Spanish side in North London, courtesy of an early own goal from Luiz Junior. The Villarreal goalkeeper inadvertently diverted the ball into his own net while trying to intercept a Lucas Bergvall cross.
It was a moment of good fortune for Spurs, who defended well throughout to hold on to an important three points. After making a winning start on his Champions League debut, Frank discussed the importance of his side being defensively sound.
“I thought it was a big win. In any competition it’s good to get three points and get a good start. I’m happy with that, I’m happy with the clean sheet. I’m happy with the defensive side of the game. I think we were extremely good and limited Villarreal to very little throughout the game.
“They were a good team I really admire. Obviously, offensively, we struggled on the day to create something against a good team. They also defended very well, which we knew in the 4-4-2 structure.
“They were very aggressive. When we were on the day, I think, they needed the highest level in terms of touch, passes and decision-making, and they nailed that. Then it was a very even game that we edged in the end.
“What I like is that our foundation is strong. Now we are four games won, three in the Premier League, one in the Champions League, and we have four sheets, which is massive.”
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