Antonio Conte’s Tottenham future appears more uncertain than ever following his side’s turgid Champions League exit to AC Milan.
Spurs crashed out of Europe’s premier competition with a whimper, barely fashioning a chance across the 90 minutes despite trailing 1-0 from the first leg.
Cristian Romero’s late red card only compounded the misery for a deflated home crowd, who made their feelings known at full-time.
Here are five talking points from a night of frustration and fury at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Sluggish start
In a contest of huge importance and with a deficit to overturn, Spurs’ first-half performance was badly lacking in both quality and intensity.
Though a vocal home support did their best to set the tone early, their cheers quickly turned to groans amid a flurry of overhit passes and cheap surrendering of possession.
An unadventurous Milan side were scarcely put under pressure, leading to Antonio Conte’s men being booed off at the interval.
Romero sees red
Just when Spurs were starting to gather a tiny bit of second-half momentum, Romero was sent off in idiotic fashion with 12 minutes remaing.
Having picked up a needless yellow card early in the contest, the Argentine scythed through Theo Hernandez directly in front of the away dugout.
Referee Clement Turpin was left with no choice but to dismiss the defender, adding more misery to an already dire evening for the hosts.
Flawless Fikayo
Fikayo Tomori will have enjoyed Milan’s triumph more than most, having risen through the ranks at Spurs’ London rivals Chelsea.
Blues fans watching on may have been wondering what could have been, witih the 25-year-old defender putting in a ferocious defensive performance to help his side keep a precious clean sheet.
Given Gareth Southgate’s England defence appears to be in a transitional phase, Tomori must surely be working his way into the reckoning for a Three Lions starting berth.
Toothless attack
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Tottenham have an embarrassment of attacking riches in their ranks — not that you would know it watching them play.
Harry Kane and Heung-Min Son were both virtually anonymous on a night where Spurs needed goals, as was Dejan Kulusevski, while Richarlison offered little threat when introduced.
With Milan’s questionable away record, surely a more front-foot approach was required to turn a winnable tie on its head.
Conte conundrum
Though Kane’s late header almost forced extra time, Milan were worthy winners and the toxic crowd reaction at full-time hinted the end may be nigh for Conte’s reign.
The Italians were hardly the most fearsome opposition the Londoners could have faced at this stage and the manner of the loss clearly irked huge swathes of the home support.
Out of both domestic cups, Europe and clinging on grimly to a top-four spot, the time may well have arrived for Tottenham and Conte to part ways.
