Overview

• Tottenham beat Villarreal 1-0 in the Champions League, with Lucas Bergvall’s deflected cross deciding the match.
• Joao Palhinha praised Xavi Simons’ talent and said his arrival increases competition for places in attack.
• The midfielder described Bergvall as a top player and admitted he was surprised to learn the Swede is only 19.
• Thomas Frank noted Simons and Djed Spence were not in sync on the left against Villarreal, raising the possibility of a more central role for the Dutchman.
• Palhinha’s cameo added bite in midfield as Spurs logged a fourth clean sheet in five matches, underscoring recent defensive improvement.