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Why Tottenham Hotspur winning the UEFA Champions League would be 'embarrassing' for European football - Fara Williams column

In her latest exclusive column for TNT Sports, England legend Fara Williams details why it would be "embarrassing" for European football if Tottenham Hotspur managed to win the UEFA Champions League this season while also battling to survive in the Premier League. She also explains why Mary Earps deserves credit for her recent comments surrounding the backlash to her book release.

Former England international Fara Williams will be providing exclusive insight and analysis for TNT Sports for the 2025/26 campaign. In her latest column, she breaks down why it would not be a good look for European football if Tottenham Hotspur won the UEFA Champions League this season, while also battling Premier League relegation. Williams also credits former England goalkeeper Mary Earps for her recent comments surrounding the backlash from her book. Watch the women's and men's FA Cup, Premier League and UEFA Champions League live on TNT Sports and discovery+.

'Embarrassing' if relegation-threatened Spurs win the Champions League

Following their recent London derby defeats to Arsenal and Fulham, it doesn’t look great for Spurs at the moment. They’ve brought in Igor Tudor, who has a fantastic record of saving teams and making the players work hard and show that fight.

Are Tottenham too good to go down? The fact is that they are in a relegation battle. I had the privilege of visiting the training ground the other week, and for a club that big, with those amazing facilities, to be in the Championship next season is just not acceptable.

Looking at their league fixtures until the end of the season, they have a very tough run of games. I’m worried for Spurs, because their main relegation rivals are starting to pick up form, with Nottingham Forest looking a bit rejuvenated under Vitor Pereira, while West Ham are picking up more points than before.

Are these Spurs players ready for the dogfight of a relegation battle? They are not in a false position, because they finished one place above the bottom three last season.

I’m not overly surprised by their league form, because there was not much transfer business in the summer to progress the team, and they have been unfortunate with long-term injuries to the likes of James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski.

Spurs have sacked a lot of managers, including Thomas Frank this season, but some of these players need to take accountability for performances, and maybe their attitude towards the different managers who have been in charge at the club.

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If you look at the quality of players in their squad, there is no way that Spurs should be in this position.

Individually, there are players who are well-equipped to play in the Premier League, but collectively, they don’t seem to come together, and sometimes it looks like they don’t have the right mentality.

They need a big turnaround, and I know they’re in the last 16 of the Champions League, where they face a tough tie against Atletico Madrid, but their focus has to be Premier League survival.

Although they managed to turn it on in the Europa League last season to end their trophy drought, I’m going to say it outright – Spurs are not good enough to win the Champions League.

The Europa League is different to the Champions League, and they won’t be able to avoid all the big teams on their way to the final this time around.

If you were to ask me what the bigger shock would be – Spurs getting relegated or Spurs winning the Champions League, I would say the latter.

There are far superior teams than Spurs in the competition, so if they manage to somehow win the Champions League this season, I would say it is embarrassing for the rest of the teams in Europe.

They have to start showing more consistency until the end of the season, and, once they avoid relegation from the Premier League, they can start to rethink everything in the summer.

'Reflective' Earps deserve credit for recent comments

It was great to read about Mary Earps reflecting about the fallout from her book last year.

After an excerpt from her autobiography was released, I wrote that her legacy didn't deserve to be tarnished despite her claims in the book.

I’ve known Mary, and I’ve played with her during my career, and I know that she’s not a malicious person who would want to directly hurt people in a way that came across in her book.

She is a very reflective person, and she was similar as a player. I know that she was very critical of herself as a player when we played together, where she would highlight more negatives in her play than positives.

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She was an absolute perfectionist during my time with her, and she is someone who has always held herself accountable for things.

It doesn’t surprise that she has probably sat with it, and, on reflection, feels that the right thing to do publicly is come out and reveal that she has spoken with the relevant people mentioned in the book and more or less apologised and held herself accountable.

It’s big of Mary to do this. There are some people who put things out, and that would be the end of the story, and they would not reflect on the situation.

I don’t think what Mary wrote in her book was nasty in any way, but, as players, it is something that we would probably prefer to keep in-house. It’s almost an unwritten rule where you don’t expose people’s characters in a way that could have been perceived in the book, and maybe Mary didn’t want that to be interpreted in a certain way.

Let’s remember that the book was Mary’s truth, and that’s how she felt. Who am I to say that she’s wrong in saying her truth?

People will always advise you to have a story in any book you’re preparing to release, and it doesn’t matter how many other great topics are included, they’re looking for that one talking point, and that’s what happened in Mary’s case.

In the book, she opened up about several different topics, but the world didn’t want to put a big spotlight on that and praise her bravery for expressing herself in such an honest way.

I think the success of the Lionesses also played a big part in the huge exposure of her book. If the Lionesses had been less successful, maybe the comments wouldn’t have been such a big deal, and it didn’t work in her favour.

It takes a big person to do what she’s done by having face-to-face conversations with people you could have potentially upset after the book was released. It’s a brave thing to do and credit to her for that.

For players planning to write books in the future, if it’s your truth, then it’s fine. I always believe that if you write about how you felt during that period, it’s okay, but it’s also acceptable for other people to have an opinion on that.

I know from my experience that I’ve expressed my truth and my views on things, and there will be people who don’t like it, and there will be people who agree with them, and that’s the reality.

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1. Fulham - Tottenham Hotspur  TNT Sports
2. Fulham 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur: Igor Tudor calls for consistency after controversial Harry Wilson goal  Sky Sports
3. Tudor fury at 'home referee' as Spurs left in 'serious emergency'  BBC

Tottenham are in a perilous position in the Premier League table after their 4-1 defeat to bitter rivals Arsenal last weekend. But their interim head coach Igor Tudor insists he has not mentioned the prospect of relegation to his players. Spurs face two crucial London derbies in the next week - away to Fulham on Sunday and at home to Crystal Palace next Thursday, live on TNT Sports and discovery+.

Igor Tudor says he has not mentioned the possibility of relegation to Tottenham Hotspur's players.

Spurs are languishing in 16th place in the Premier League table, two points above Nottingham Forest in 17th and four points ahead of West Ham in 18th. Their most recent outing was a nightmare one, a 4-1 home defeat to leaders Arsenal last Sunday.

But the interim head coach, when asked if he has spoken about relegation with his team, said: "No, I never used it, but not because it's something too scary or it's a danger word or we won't sleep.

"It's about that we need to refocus on ourselves. I also see the same way I speak with my players. To be focused on ourselves, on the training. That's the only thing we can change.

"So there is nothing to think about. The future, or the points, even. The points come as a consequence of the training and the game.

"That's the focus. That's the main and only focus we need to have."

Tottenham face two crucial London derbies in the next week, away to Fulham on Sunday and then at home to Crystal Palace next Thursday.

The club continues to suffer on the injury front and Tudor said it is a major factor in their current struggles.

"The problem is the lack of numbers we have in the team," Tudor said. "There's the problem - if you need to play every three days with 10,12, 13. Also it's not only about spending physical energy but also mental energy when every game for us in the league is a final. Not an ideal situation."

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Tudor was, however, able to provide a positive injury update before his team's meeting with Fulham at Craven Cottage this weekend.

Kevin Danso and Pedro Porro will be available, while Micky van de Ven is "OK" despite a "small problem" with his finger.

On the derby day to forget last weekend - when the gulf in class between his team and Arsenal was plain to see - Tudor clearly wants to quickly move on.

"The less we speak, the better it is," Tudor added. "It's about focusing on the daily work in training to climb up the table."

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Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur battle for Bayern Munich's Leon Goretzka, Juventus want Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson - European Transfer News

The latest European transfer rumour round-up sees bitter rivals Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur linked with midfielder Leon Goretzka, who looks set to leave Bayern Munich as a free agent this summer. Juventus are reportedly keen on signing Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker, while one of Germany's top agents has revealed that he advised Real Madrid to sign Florian Wirtz before he moved to Anfield.

Goretzka in demand

Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur could be set for a summer battle for free agent midfielder Leon Goretzka.

Goretzka is out of contract at the end of the season and, according to Bild’s Christian Falk, will be in demand. Arsenal and Spurs are reportedly keen, along with Inter and Bayer Leverkusen.

According to Falk, it has been "suggested that Goretzka is open to a move to the Premier League, which could give Arsenal an edge over other potential suitors".

It is added that Arsenal attempted to sign Goretzka during the January window.

Juventus interested in Alisson

Juventus are reportedly interested in signing Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson.

Liverpool made Alisson the world's most expensive 'keeper when they signed him for a reported £66.8 million fee in 2018 (now the second-most expensive behind Kepa Arrizabalaga, who Chelsea signed for £71.6m).

Alisson has been a key player for The Reds but is out of contract in 2027. According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Juve are plotting to take advantage.

Michele Di Gregorio has been No. 1 for Juventus this season but has not impressed, and Juve head coach Luciano Spalletti knows Alisson well, having worked with him at Roma

Another name on the table for Juve is said to be Spurs' Guglielmo Vicario.

Agent's Madrid 'wish' for Wirtz

Florian Wirtz made one of the big moves of the 2025 summer transfer window as he joined Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen in a £116m deal.

But Volker Struth, one of Germany's leading agents who also works as an advisor, has revealed he told Real Madrid to sign Wirtz.

"During the period when a move to Liverpool or Bayern was being discussed, I called Xabi Alonso and told him: 'You have to take the lad from Leverkusen with you to Real'," Struth told Bild.

"Xabi replied: ‘You don’t have to tell me that, you have to tell [Real Madrid president] Florentino Perez’.

"So I actually sent him a message: ‘Dear Florentino, I’ve told you many times before: I have a player here whom I would highly recommend. Florian Wirtz makes every team in the world better’.

"That year, it simply wasn’t the right time due to the squad and the budget. Even Real Madrid‘s coffers aren’t always overflowing. But my wish remains that Florian will play there one day."

Kane 'interest' in Barca move?

Barcelona presidential candidate Xavi Vilajoana's camp believes Harry Kane would be "interested" in a move to the club.

England international Kane has been linked with Barca, who look set to be on the hunt for a new striker with Robert Lewandowski’s contract expiring in the summer.

Kane is yet to agree a new contract with Bayern Munich and Vilajoana's campaign manager Jordi Codina has fuelled talk of a potential move.

He told Mundo Deportivo: "As we explained the other day, we - not personally, but through people acting on our behalf - have had conversations and so on, and we think the player might be interested.

"In fact, I believe countless players would be willing to talk and come to Barca if Barca called them.

"Harry Kane, as we explained the other day, is a player with excellent link-up play. He’s a goalscorer. He’s a player with proven experience.

"I’m absolutely convinced that Harry Kane would fit perfectly into Barca’s style of play.

"From here, several things have to happen. One is that we get there, that we really see how the club is doing and how its finances are, because I unfortunately think it might be in worse shape than we’re being told.

"And then we have to negotiate with his club and with him, which I think is the easiest part."

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Allegri considering Milan future

AC Milan head coach Massimiliano Allegri is considering his future at the club, according to Sport Italia.

Allegri returned to Milan last summer, 11 years after his first spell in charge ended.

Milan are second in Serie A, 10 points behind leaders Inter, but Allegri is said to be unhappy with the transfer situation and the management at the club.

It is reported that "the relationship between Allegri and Milan is at its lowest point" following disappointing results against Como and Parma.

- - -

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Tottenham are in serious, serious trouble. That much is clear just by looking at the form book, with only two wins from their last 18 Premier League matches. Now they sit precariously in 16th place, just four points clear of 18th-placed West Ham and desperately needing results and fast. But, with Igor Tudor coming in and 11 matches still to play, how likely are Spurs to be relegated this term?

Coming off the back of another 4-1 derby humbling at the hands of Arsenal, Tottenham have now won just two of their last 18 Premier League matches.

Since a 3-0 win at Everton on October 26, Spurs have picked up just 12 points from a possible 54 to plummet down the league table.

Perhaps even more worryingly if you are a Tottenham fan, is that they have failed to win in 2026, last coming out victorious in a 1-0 triumph at Crystal Palace on December 28.

Unsurprisingly, with those results, Spurs sit just four points above the relegation zone, with West Ham winning two of their last five, including a win away to Spurs to close the gap.

Over the last five matches, Spurs have the joint-worst form in the league alongside Wolves, who are still yet to overtake Derby’s unwanted record for fewest points in the league.

Times are dire and fans are getting increasingly worried that Tottenham may actually face the drop this season, but how likely are they to actually be relegated?

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What does the manager say?

Many Tottenham fans were deeply unhappy with how long it took for the club to move on from Thomas Frank when things were clearly not going well.

Now they have Igor Tudor at the helm and his first game in charge of the club highlighted the disparity with their local rivals, who are on course for a Quadruple challenge.

Tudor has a history of short-term management stints and the club have signed him accordingly until June.

Tudor has never stayed at a club for two full years, with his managerial debut in his native Croatia with Hajduk Split his longest reign at just shy of 22 months and 78 matches.

Recently, he had unconvincing short-term stays at Lazio and Juventus after a period of moderate success at Marseille, where he enjoyed his highest win record of 56.3%.

Spurs right now need him to make an instant impact and with the former Juventus centre back taking charge of his first Premier League job. He is aware of the challenge he faces - something fans probably don’t want to hear.

He told BBC Radio 5 Live: "Now in this moment, the team is full of problems.

"The only key is to work on the training day by day and be humble, we need to be more aggressive - we need to be more compact, these are the keys.

"You understand the gap with the mental sharpness of one team and other teams. This is a thing we need to change. I saw players available to do this, but we need more time to do this.

"Thinking about relegation doesn't bring you anything to anybody."

So, even the new manager is talking about relegation…

What does their form say?

This is comfortably the biggest factor in many feeling that Tottenham are in serious danger of going down if they do not fix themselves up sharpish.

Losing each of their last three matches, two of which were at home to Newcastle and Arsenal, Spurs are in freefall.

A surprise 2-2 comeback draw against Manchester City continued their impressive recent record against Pep Guardiola, but a Cristian Romero equaliser salvaging a 2-2 draw against 19th-place Burnley tells more of a realistic story.

And the week before that, Spurs were beaten in the 93rd minute by West Ham after Callum Wilson bundled it into the back of the net from close range.

That seems a particularly costly result, with the Hammers creeping gradually closer and it was a win that seems to have sparked them back into life.

The fact that Spurs’ Premier League form is on a par with a Wolves side preparing for life in the Championship, is then contradicted by their frankly odd UEFA Champions League record.

Tottenham finished fourth in the league phase, avoiding a play-off match, and picked up wins over Eintracht Frankfurt, Borussia Dortmund and Slavia Prague during their Premier League slump.

The domestic form suggests Spurs absolutely can go down, but will their European form finally transfer over?

What do the stats say about Spurs’ chances of relegation?

It was always going to be a big ask for Igor Tudor against the league leaders and still missing so many key personnel, but in losing in his opening match, he ended a big positive for Spurs managers.

He became the first Tottenham manager to lose their opening Premier League game in charge since Andre Villas-Boas in August 2012, with each of the previous nine at least drawing.

That in itself is an unwanted stat, but what do OPTA say about their form?

Spurs are averaging 1.07 points/game in the Premier League this season. In a 20-team league, the only team relegated with a PPG as high were West Ham in 2002-03 (1.11).

Their 29 points is their second-lowest total after 27 games in a Premier League season, after 1997-98 (27).

Based on their current PPG, they’d finish this season with 41 points, a total which would have only seen them relegated from the PL in 2002-03 (38-game season only).

From the remaining 11 corresponding fixtures last season (replacing Sunderland with Southampton and Leeds with Leicester), Spurs’ record was W2 D0 L9

There are certainly a few positives in there for Tottenham fans, but if you look at their PPG since their 3-0 win over Everton on 26 October, it is just 0.67, which would see them win only another seven points and reach 36 points.

That is not as safe a total, but it has been enough to guarantee Premier League football in each of the last nine seasons and has a survival rate of 60% (18 seasons out of 30, it would be enough).

Tottenham may take some relief from the historical data, but who lies in wait to see if they can make it happen?

What are Tottenham's remaining fixtures?

Spurs have 11 Premier League matches left in the season - five of which are at home, where their record is that much worse.

Winning just two of their 14 home matches and with a PPG of 0.71, it has been desperately disappointing times at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this season.

Away they have been significantly better, winning five and drawing four of 13 away matches, earning an average of 1.46 PPG and even enjoying a positive goal difference of one.

So it could be considered a positive that they have an extra away game, but who do they play, and when are the key matches?

Tottenham’s next two matches are against London rivals. They face Fulham on Sunday, Match 1 at Craven Cottage before hosting Crystal Palace on March 5, a game that can be watched live on TNT Sports and discovery+.

They then face the daunting task of a trip to Anfield 10 days later and then return to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for a gigantic relegation six-pointer against Nottingham Forest on March 22.

Sunderland away follows that in April, then Brighton back at home, before another massive match for Tudor, away at Wolves in what surely has to be three points.

Opponent Date Fulham (a) Sunday, 1 March Crystal Palace (h) Thursday, 5 March Liverpool (a) Sunday, 15 March Nottingham Forest (h) Sunday, 22 March Sunderland (a) Weekend of 11 April Brighton (h) Weekend of 18 April Wolves (a) Weekend of 25 April Aston Villa (a) Weekend of 2 May Leeds (h) Weekend of 9 May Chelsea (a) 17 May Everton (h) 24 May

Their remaining four matches are tough, visiting high-flying Aston Villa and Chelsea, while hosting a Leeds side who may well still be fighting for their own safety and Everton on the final day, who are likely to be safe, with nothing to play for but revenge for their home defeat, potentially making them dangerous.

Tottenham are in a fight, that seems clear by all the data, the form and even the comments of their new manager, but will they actually go down?

Well, returning to OPTA, they have placed their chances of the drop at just 4.35%, compared to 23.08% for Forest and 71.44% for West Ham.

The statisticians are in their favour and so, it remains to be seen whether Tottenham will defy the odds.

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