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Spurs fell behind midway through the first half at the City Ground as Ibrahim Sangare capitalised upon a mixup between Archie Gray and Guglielmo Vicario to ultimately present Callum Hudson-Odoi with an easy finish. And Forest were two goals to the good shortly after the restart as the duo linked up once more, with Hudson-Odoi getting the better of Vicario, whose performance was widely criticised by fans, with a cross-cum-shot.

The roles were reversed for Forest's third as Hudson-Odoi turned provider for Sangare to compound a miserable afternoon for Spurs. Frank's side had enjoyed a mini-revival in recent outings, following up a 2-2 draw at Newcastle with successive home wins over Brentford and Slavia Prague in the Premier League and Champions League, respectively.

However, Spurs reverted to type in the Midlands on Sunday afternoon with a number of supporters now calling for Frank to be shown the exit just six months after he succeeded Ange Postecoglou at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium helm.

Spurs fans took to social media following the 3-0 loss to Nottingham Forest to demand that the club call time on Frank's disappointing spell in charge of the Europa League champions.

"Football and subs awful, embarrassing again. The Frank saga will probably drag out longer than necessary because of our woeful record of hiring and firing managers the last 6 yrs but everyone can see he’s not the answer," @gemben82 posted on X.

"Time is up for me. Frank out. I don’t know how we come back from a loss like this, and we seriously show no signs of improvement. Move on," @HeardFromSpurs added.

Another fan account,@Spurs_Zone, commented that the Dane has failed to sort the club's defensive issues, stating: "Unfortunately, the experiment has gone wrong. Sorry it didn’t work out but it’s time for Frank to leave. Attacking isn’t a problem, Ange proved it last season, scoring was never an issue. The defending was, and Frank just completely failed in diagnosing the problem."

"It’s safe to say we’ve made a massive mistake in hiring this fool. Frank has served up some of the worst football I’ve ever seen. This can’t continue. Its over. He’s done," @SeanOR7 wrote.

@_iamchrisf went a little more in depth with his reasoning, posting: "Get Frank out!!! I said on Tuesday: 'The next 3 league games will give us a clearer picture and perhaps my belief and optimism reinstalled in Frank again but let’s see' And today’s performance/result has shown why I still have my doubts. For me he’s failing to get the bare minimum out of this team and that’s unacceptable. Forest only had 4 wins in the league before this game. Dyche ball shi**ing all over Frank"

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After Sunday's game, Frank was asked whether the result and performance was a real disappointment, to which he replied: "Yeah, it was. It’s hugely disappointing. That was a bad performance, especially first half. I think overall, especially after the 1-0 goal, we looked disjointed.

"Also after the second goal, it looked disjointed after that; didn’t win enough duels; and we couldn’t hit each other - it seems like we gave the ball away every single time we won it back throughout the game. That doesn’t help to win a football match.

"On paper, black and white, we lose 3-0 here. That is disappointing. The better team won today. When things go against us, we have to keep doing the right thing and keep our cool heads."

Frank may be under a lot of scrutiny for the performance levels his Spurs side are producing, but the Danish coach remains bullish that he is the right man for the job and believes he can turn the mounting tide of hapless displays. Asked whether he will be given time to improve recent results, Frank claimed he did not see any reason why he would face the sack.

"I think it's pretty evident that if no one gets the time, no one can turn this around. This is not a quick fix," he said. "I'm very honest about where we are as well. I was also very honest, today was a very bad performance, no two ways about that.

"But I also know that to change this will take some time. No one will want to hear about that. It's just reality.

"I think the ones who have followed the club and the team, I think it's fair to say there's been a few not too consistent performances and that's the thing. We are working very hard."

Spurs fell behind midway through the first half at the City Ground as Ibrahim Sangare capitalised upon a mixup between Archie Gray and Guglielmo Vicario to ultimately present Callum Hudson-Odoi with an easy finish. And Forest were two goals to the good shortly after the restart as the duo linked up once more, with Hudson-Odoi getting the better of Vicario, whose performance was widely criticised by fans, with a cross-cum-shot.

The roles were reversed for Forest's third as Hudson-Odoi turned provider for Sangare to compound a miserable afternoon for Spurs. Frank's side had enjoyed a mini-revival in recent outings, following up a 2-2 draw at Newcastle with successive home wins over Brentford and Slavia Prague in the Premier League and Champions League, respectively.

However, Spurs reverted to type in the Midlands on Sunday afternoon with a number of supporters now calling for Frank to be shown the exit just six months after he succeeded Ange Postecoglou at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium helm.

Spurs fans took to social media following the 3-0 loss to Nottingham Forest to demand that the club call time on Frank's disappointing spell in charge of the Europa League champions.

"Football and subs awful, embarrassing again. The Frank saga will probably drag out longer than necessary because of our woeful record of hiring and firing managers the last 6 yrs but everyone can see he’s not the answer," @gemben82 posted on X.

"Time is up for me. Frank out. I don’t know how we come back from a loss like this, and we seriously show no signs of improvement. Move on," @HeardFromSpurs added.

Another fan account,@Spurs_Zone, commented that the Dane has failed to sort the club's defensive issues, stating: "Unfortunately, the experiment has gone wrong. Sorry it didn’t work out but it’s time for Frank to leave. Attacking isn’t a problem, Ange proved it last season, scoring was never an issue. The defending was, and Frank just completely failed in diagnosing the problem."

"It’s safe to say we’ve made a massive mistake in hiring this fool. Frank has served up some of the worst football I’ve ever seen. This can’t continue. Its over. He’s done," @SeanOR7 wrote.

@_iamchrisf went a little more in depth with his reasoning, posting: "Get Frank out!!! I said on Tuesday: 'The next 3 league games will give us a clearer picture and perhaps my belief and optimism reinstalled in Frank again but let’s see' And today’s performance/result has shown why I still have my doubts. For me he’s failing to get the bare minimum out of this team and that’s unacceptable. Forest only had 4 wins in the league before this game. Dyche ball shi**ing all over Frank"

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After Sunday's game, Frank was asked whether the result and performance was a real disappointment, to which he replied: "Yeah, it was. It’s hugely disappointing. That was a bad performance, especially first half. I think overall, especially after the 1-0 goal, we looked disjointed.

"Also after the second goal, it looked disjointed after that; didn’t win enough duels; and we couldn’t hit each other - it seems like we gave the ball away every single time we won it back throughout the game. That doesn’t help to win a football match.

"On paper, black and white, we lose 3-0 here. That is disappointing. The better team won today. When things go against us, we have to keep doing the right thing and keep our cool heads."

Frank may be under a lot of scrutiny for the performance levels his Spurs side are producing, but the Danish coach remains bullish that he is the right man for the job and believes he can turn the mounting tide of hapless displays. Asked whether he will be given time to improve recent results, Frank claimed he did not see any reason why he would face the sack.

"I think it's pretty evident that if no one gets the time, no one can turn this around. This is not a quick fix," he said. "I'm very honest about where we are as well. I was also very honest, today was a very bad performance, no two ways about that.

"But I also know that to change this will take some time. No one will want to hear about that. It's just reality.

"I think the ones who have followed the club and the team, I think it's fair to say there's been a few not too consistent performances and that's the thing. We are working very hard."

With Spurs boss Thomas Frank under severe pressure, the last thing he needed was his goalkeeper to have an off day in a tricky away trip to the Midlands. With the scores level at 0-0 after 28 minutes, Vicario put his team-mate Archie Gray in a difficult spot with a bobbling pass to the edge of the area. The teenager was robbed by Ibrahim Sangare, who unselfishly squared to Callum Huson-Odoi to tap into an empty net and put Forest ahead.

The Italian’s day did not get any easier either and shortly after half-time, he was caught out by Hudson-Odoi again. The former Chelsea youngster picked the ball up by the left touchline before cutting back and sending a looping cross towards Igor Jesus at the back post. Vicario, unsure whether to remain on his line or to come and claim the cross, was caught in no-man's land and ended up missing the ball completely. The flailing goalkeeper was unable to stop the cross from curling all the way in and putting the hosts two goals ahead.

Sangara and Hudson-Odoi combined once again after 79 minutes to put the game beyond all doubt. Vicario could do little to stop Sangare's stunning strike into the far corner, but had played more than his fair part in causing the preceding damage.

After the game, Frank said to Sky Sports: “Of course, the first two goals are two mistakes, that happens. We need to work to be more consistent. It's two steps forward and a step back today.”

He added that he understands the fans’ disappointment, saying that “if you don't perform that's more than fair enough their frustration”.

TSpurs fans took to social media to lambast Vicario, with many demanding the Italian be replaced by deputy Antonin Kinsky. The young Czech keeper has been largely overlooked for a starting berth by Frank since his appointment, but may now come into the team.

On X, @xAlexTHFC called Vicario a “complete disaster”, adding that “no serious team has a keeper like this.”

@thfcjorro tweeted: “Vicario might actually be the worst keeper in the league you know.”

On a similar vein, @owenthfc__ posted that “Vicario is a f*cking abomination” and @KrazeeOfficial said that “this guy is shit man”.

One Spurs fan is even beginning to consider switching sides following the disappointing result against Forest. @101Usman said that they were "slowly losing my love for Spurs this season" before adding: "A repeat of last season with loads of fuck ups. Vicario is a clown. Spurs are a bunch of let downs. Thomas Frank hasn’t got a clue. I’m supporting Manchester City."

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Vicario was at the centre of another Spurs defeat this season, having gifted Harry Wilson a chance to score an open goal from distance in the club's 2-1 defeat by Fulham last month. Spurs had found themselves 2-0 down to the Cottagers after just six minutes and it did not take much longer for the crowd to turn on the players – with Vicario taking much of the ire.

The Italian was the subject of jeers from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and after that game, Thomas Frank slammed his own fans for their supposed lack of respect. The Dane had said: “I didn't like that our fans booed at him straight after and a few times he touched the ball. They can't be true Tottenham fans because everyone supports each other when you are on the pitch.”

With Spurs boss Thomas Frank under severe pressure, the last thing he needed was his goalkeeper to have an off day in a tricky away trip to the Midlands. With the scores level at 0-0 after 28 minutes, Vicario put his team-mate Archie Gray in a difficult spot with a bobbling pass to the edge of the area. The teenager was robbed by Ibrahim Sangare, who unselfishly squared to Callum Huson-Odoi to tap into an empty net and put Forest ahead.

The Italian’s day did not get any easier either and shortly after half-time, he was caught out by Hudson-Odoi again. The former Chelsea youngster picked the ball up by the left touchline before cutting back and sending a looping cross towards Igor Jesus at the back post. Vicario, unsure whether to remain on his line or to come and claim the cross, was caught in no-man's land and ended up missing the ball completely. The flailing goalkeeper was unable to stop the cross from curling all the way in and putting the hosts two goals ahead.

Sangara and Hudson-Odoi combined once again after 79 minutes to put the game beyond all doubt. Vicario could do little to stop Sangare's stunning strike into the far corner, but had played more than his fair part in causing the preceding damage.

After the game, Frank said to Sky Sports: “Of course, the first two goals are two mistakes, that happens. We need to work to be more consistent. It's two steps forward and a step back today.”

He added that he understands the fans’ disappointment, saying that “if you don't perform that's more than fair enough their frustration”.

TSpurs fans took to social media to lambast Vicario, with many demanding the Italian be replaced by deputy Antonin Kinsky. The young Czech keeper has been largely overlooked for a starting berth by Frank since his appointment, but may now come into the team.

On X, @xAlexTHFC called Vicario a “complete disaster”, adding that “no serious team has a keeper like this.”

@thfcjorro tweeted: “Vicario might actually be the worst keeper in the league you know.”

On a similar vein, @owenthfc__ posted that “Vicario is a f*cking abomination” and @KrazeeOfficial said that “this guy is shit man”.

One Spurs fan is even beginning to consider switching sides following the disappointing result against Forest. @101Usman said that they were "slowly losing my love for Spurs this season" before adding: "A repeat of last season with loads of fuck ups. Vicario is a clown. Spurs are a bunch of let downs. Thomas Frank hasn’t got a clue. I’m supporting Manchester City."

Looking for smarter football bets? Get expert previews, data-driven predictions & winning insights with GOAL Tips on Telegram. Join our growing community now!

Vicario was at the centre of another Spurs defeat this season, having gifted Harry Wilson a chance to score an open goal from distance in the club's 2-1 defeat by Fulham last month. Spurs had found themselves 2-0 down to the Cottagers after just six minutes and it did not take much longer for the crowd to turn on the players – with Vicario taking much of the ire.

The Italian was the subject of jeers from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and after that game, Thomas Frank slammed his own fans for their supposed lack of respect. The Dane had said: “I didn't like that our fans booed at him straight after and a few times he touched the ball. They can't be true Tottenham fans because everyone supports each other when you are on the pitch.”

Thomas Frank is under pressure and may have to dip into the club’s coffers in order to revitalise his squad in the January transfer window. The Dane has had a mixed start to life in north London and has been unable to get much success out of his midfield options thus far this campaign.

Rodrigo Bentancur and Joao Palhinha do not possess the ball carrying or playing abilities to play teams off the park and Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall are still just teenagers. Yves Bissouma, who has apologised after being filmed using nitrous oxide for a second time, also appears on his way out of the club.

According to Fichajes, Barrios could be the man to fill the void in the Spurs midfield. The Spaniard has a €120 million release clause in his contract, but it is unlikely that the north London side will put that amount down on the table to take Barrios away from Madrid.

The Spanish media outlet report that the club have instead floated a more modest €70 million offer in the direction of Atletico in the hope they could snatch up one of Europe’s more coveted midfielders for a more reasonable fee.

Liverpool and Chelsea are reportedly both also interested in the Atletico man, and could look to tempt the Spanish club with offers of their own.

The Reds have been having a difficult season and, despite splashing out on a record-shattering transfer window in the summer off the back of winning the Premier League, may have to fork out yet more money to refresh their squad. Arne Slot’s midfield has failed to match the high standards it set for itself last season. With the likes of Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister far below the levels they have been at previously and Florian Wirtz yet to start firing, Liverpool have been unable to replicate last season’s spectacular run to the title.

As for Chelsea, the Blues look once again to be falling short of a serious title challenge. Enzo Maresca has already got two £100 million plus midfielders to call upon in Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandes, but finding the complimentary third option has not always been an easy task. The Italian has fielded Reece James in the centre and Cole Palmer is returning from injury, but other options Andrey Santos and Roméo Lavia have failed to make a serious impact.

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Barrios could offer something different to all of the Premier League sides determined to secure his signature. He has been a regular in Simeone’s midfield this season, usually utilised in a midfield two alongside veteran Ateltico legend Koke.

Barrios stood out in the Club World Club and even scored a brace against the Seattle Sounders to truly announce himself to the rest of Europe. The development of the 22-year-old in recent years has made him a highly sought-after central midfielder, and Spurs are keen to secure his services before anyone else.

Thomas Frank is under pressure and may have to dip into the club’s coffers in order to revitalise his squad in the January transfer window. The Dane has had a mixed start to life in north London and has been unable to get much success out of his midfield options thus far this campaign.

Rodrigo Bentancur and Joao Palhinha do not possess the ball carrying or playing abilities to play teams off the park and Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall are still just teenagers. Yves Bissouma, who has apologised after being filmed using nitrous oxide for a second time, also appears on his way out of the club.

According to Fichajes, Barrios could be the man to fill the void in the Spurs midfield. The Spaniard has a €120 million release clause in his contract, but it is unlikely that the north London side will put that amount down on the table to take Barrios away from Madrid.

The Spanish media outlet report that the club have instead floated a more modest €70 million offer in the direction of Atletico in the hope they could snatch up one of Europe’s more coveted midfielders for a more reasonable fee.

Liverpool and Chelsea are reportedly both also interested in the Atletico man, and could look to tempt the Spanish club with offers of their own.

The Reds have been having a difficult season and, despite splashing out on a record-shattering transfer window in the summer off the back of winning the Premier League, may have to fork out yet more money to refresh their squad. Arne Slot’s midfield has failed to match the high standards it set for itself last season. With the likes of Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister far below the levels they have been at previously and Florian Wirtz yet to start firing, Liverpool have been unable to replicate last season’s spectacular run to the title.

As for Chelsea, the Blues look once again to be falling short of a serious title challenge. Enzo Maresca has already got two £100 million plus midfielders to call upon in Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandes, but finding the complimentary third option has not always been an easy task. The Italian has fielded Reece James in the centre and Cole Palmer is returning from injury, but other options Andrey Santos and Roméo Lavia have failed to make a serious impact.

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Barrios could offer something different to all of the Premier League sides determined to secure his signature. He has been a regular in Simeone’s midfield this season, usually utilised in a midfield two alongside veteran Ateltico legend Koke.

Barrios stood out in the Club World Club and even scored a brace against the Seattle Sounders to truly announce himself to the rest of Europe. The development of the 22-year-old in recent years has made him a highly sought-after central midfielder, and Spurs are keen to secure his services before anyone else.

Bissouma is yet to feature in a competitive fixture for Spurs this season, having been excluded due to repeated lateness and then suffering with injury for much of the campaign. The former Brighton star was filmed inhaling laughing gas for a second time in just over a year last month and is facing disciplinary action from the club following this latest behavioural breach.

Following last year’s incident, Spurs handed the player a one-match ban, but there is little to suggest they will be as lenient a second time. It has been reported that the Malian has been transfer listed by the club who are determined to offload the 29-year-old after yet another off-field incident.

Possession of nitrous oxide – a class C drug – for recreational use has been illegal in the UK since 2023 with criminal penalties potentially including up to a two-year prison sentence. On the second incident, Bissouma’s boss Thomas Frank said: "It's an internal matter we are dealing with at the moment, and when we have dealt with that, then I will comment on it.”

Speaking to the Sun, Bissouma has offered an apology to Spurs fans, insisting that it is "not who I am".

The midfielder explained that he has been suffering from mental health difficulties following a series of burglaries at his home. Bissouma has had his house raided on three occasions, with masked thieves hammering down his front door on the most serious occasion. He adds that a friend of his also has taken £1million off him, a total he is still trying to recoup.

"I am sorry. This incident broke something in me I didn’t even know I could break," he said. "I apologise to the fans. The trauma added to my life — fear, panic, depression and paranoia."

Bissouma said that he is a strong person and, "I hate feeling like a victim, but what I lost wasn’t just material. It was what the trauma added to my life — fear, panic, depression, paranoia, sleepless nights, and a constant loss of trust."

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In the same interview, Bissouma continued to share just how impacted he has been by these robberies. He said that his mental health is not an excuse for taking the nitrous oxide, but "I hope people can maybe understand me a bit more because of this."

He shared that he was too scared to sleep at his own home in fear of being present amid another robbery and so would sometimes sleep at Spurs’ training ground.

"For like three, four, sometimes five days, I was sleeping there because I did not want to be at home. Even talking about this is hard. All these things were going on in my head, worrying about my dad who is not well, and sometimes I think as a human, it’s a bit hard," Bissouma said.

The midfielder spoke with a therapist as many as five times a week to help cope with the trauma and depression he was feeling. Bissouma has also not given up hope of playing for Spurs again. "I want to move on from my mistakes. I like playing for ­Tottenham. I’m just thinking about being fit again and ­trying to enjoy football," he added.

The league phase of the UEFA Champions League continues with Tottenham Hotspur welcoming Slavia Prague to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Tuesday. The match will kick off at 8 pm local time. In the United States, this means a start time of 10:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. Spurs eased the pressure on manager Thomas Frank with a comfortable 2-0 win over his former club Brentford in the Premier League at the weekend.

They will be out to add another victory, this time in the Champions League, when they take on the Czech outfit. The Lilywhites' last European away day ended in a 5-3 defeat at the hands of European champions Paris Saint-Germain. They will be confident against Slavia Prague at home, having won both of the games they have played at their own stadium in this competition. Their opponents, meanwhile, appear to be heading towards an early Champions League elimination as they remain winless in the league phase so far after five matches.

The Czech giants have only managed three draws and two defeats, collecting a meagre three points. Jindrich Trpisovsky's men are on a five-game winning streak in the Czech top flight, but simply can't buy a win in the Champions League. They will be hoping to cause a massive upset on their visit to north London.

Here, GOAL brings you everything you need to know about how to watch, including TV channel, streaming details and more.

How to watch Tottenham vs Slavia Prague online - TV channels & live streams

Paramount+Watch hereViXWatch here

In the United States (US), the Champions League match between Tottenham and Slavia Prague will be available to watch on Paramount+ and ViX.

Check out GOAL's Live Match Centre for updates.

How to watch anywhere with VPN

If you are abroad, you may need to use a virtual private network (VPN) in order to watch games using your usual streaming service. A VPN, such as NordVPN, allows you to establish a secure connection online when streaming. If you are not sure which VPN to use, check out GOAL's guide to the best VPNs for streaming sport.

Tottenham vs Slavia Prague kick-off time

The Champions League match between Tottenham and Slavia Prague will take place at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in North London, England on Wednesday, 9 December at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time.

Team news & squads

Tottenham team news

Tottenham have injury concerns over Destiny Udogie and Randal Kolo Muani before the visit of Slavia Prague in the Champions League. Kolo Muani, the Paris Saint-Germain loanee, impressed against Brentford but was withdrawn early and was later seen limping as he left the stadium. Udogie is nursing a minor soft tissue problem. Frank will already be without long-term absentees James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke. Mathys Tel will be unavailable after he was not included in the club’s Champions League squad for the league phase.

Slavia Prague team news

Trpisovsky's side will be without Oscar (muscle), Filip Horsky (ACL), Petr Sevcik (ACL) and Dominik Javorcek (knee). There are doubts about the availability of key attacker Tomas Chory, who is suffering from illness. Slavia Prague, though, will be boosted by the recent return of Slovakian winger Ivan Schranz.

Form

Head-to-Head Record

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It was reported on Sunday that Tottenham have launched an internal investigation after out-of-favour star Bissouma was filmed inhaling nitrous oxide from a balloon during the early hours of November 3, with the footage reportedly recorded at a party in London. The video, which he is said to have sent to a woman invited to join him, has raised immediate disciplinary concerns given his previous suspension for the same behaviour. Similar footage appeared last year, where the midfielder was apparently inhaling gas. Upon being found guilty, the north London club handed their player a one-match suspension.

After the latest incident, Spurs have confirmed that the matter is being handled internally after the footage was published, intensifying scrutiny on the player. The incident is particularly serious because possession of nitrous oxide - a class C drug - for recreational use has been illegal in the UK since 2023, carrying potential criminal penalties, maximum up to a two-year imprisonment. Bissouma apologised for a similar offence last year and served a club suspension as a result, but this second episode has sparked renewed questions over his professionalism at a time when he has not played a single minute this campaign.

Reacting to the fresh controversy, Spurs boss Frank told reporters: "It’s an internal matter that we are dealing with at the moment, and when we have dealt with that, then I will have a comment on it."

After his suspension last year, former Spurs coach Ange Postecoglou had shared his thoughts on Bissouma's conduct, as he said: "He has made a really poor decision. You want to understand that and try to help him through that, and as a club (see) what we can do to make sure he doesn’t make those kinds of choices and decisions in the future. He has a responsibility to his team-mates, to our supporters and to everyone associated with the club - and he failed in those duties."

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The latest controversy adds to the Mail international's crisis in the Premier League, with his future at Tottenham uncertain ever since he was dropped from the squad for persistent lateness at the start of the season. Frank has left the midfielder out of both his Premier League and Champions League squads, noting at one point that there was still a way back but emphasising standards that must be met.

The landscape only worsened for the midfielder following an ankle injury sustained on international duty, keeping him sidelined during a period when he needed to rebuild trust. Off the pitch, Bissouma has endured further turmoil with revelations in November that he had been the victim of a major fraud, losing £800,000 from a Coutts bank account. Although the club maintain an option to extend his contract beyond June, his position is fragile, with Spurs considering triggering the clause primarily to protect his transfer value ahead of a possible January sale. The latest footage contributes to a pattern of off-field issues that could accelerate an exit, especially with earlier interest from Turkish clubs failing to materialise in the summer.

After going winless in four back-to-back games across all competitions where they conceded 13 goals, Frank's men bounced back this weekend as Richarlison and Xavi Simons' goals helped Spurs comfortably beat Brentford 2-0.

With renewed confidence, the Premier League club are all set to host Slavia Praha in the Champions League on Tuesday. The game will be extra special for the club, as their iconic forward Son Heung-min is all set to return to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for the first time since leaving for LAFC in the summer.

The club's official statement read: "Sonny will take to the pitch before the team walk-outs ahead of the 20:00 kick-off against the Czech champions. He will then have the opportunity to personally address the supporters that took him into their hearts following his arrival from Bayer Leverkusen in 2015 and treasured him for the next 10 years – it is sure to be an emotional occasion in N17."

The incident occurred in stoppage time, with Jeonbuk leading 2-1 when a handball appeal was initially waved away by the referee. As tensions built, the video assistant referee intervened and awarded a late penalty. Taricco, incensed by the earlier decision, continued protesting aggressively. His dissent earned him a yellow card and, moments later, a second caution, at which point he made a gesture by placing his fingers near the corners of his eyes. Referee Kim interpreted the action as a derogatory "slanted-eye" insult targeted at people of Asian descent and promptly reported him to the disciplinary authorities. The committee ultimately agreed, releasing a strongly worded statement accusing Taricco of making a universally recognised racist gesture.

The league’s disciplinary panel issued its ruling on November 19, declaring Taricco guilty of conduct that constituted ethnic mockery.

"In the video footage of the incident, coach Mauricio Taricco was seen placing his index finger in the centre of his eye and then pulling it toward the edge, narrowing his eyes," the committee said. "The coach’s action was identical with the so-called slanted-eye gesture that derides people of Asian descent, and it was enough to insult the other person. Such a gesture is universally regarded as something that mocks the appearance of a certain ethnic group. It matches the gesture that has been penalised on many occasions by FIFA."

As punishment, Taricco received a five-match ban and a fine of 20 million won ($13,646). But the fallout would go much further, prompting soul-searching within the club and eventually culminating in Taricco’s decision to leave South Korea entirely once the season concludes.

However, in a lengthy statement published on Jeonbuk’s website, Taricco vehemently rejected the accusation, insisting his gesture had been misunderstood and taken out of context. He argued that he had merely been asking the referee whether he had clearly seen the contested handball incident.

"I have worked with many people in many countries and have lived and socialised with them without any problems related to their culture or race, and I have considered this a blessing," he wrote. "However, I have now been branded a racist by ‘self-proclaimed’ authorities due to a single misunderstanding where the context, cultural expressions, and meanings of all situations I continuously explained were ignored. I merely covered my eyes to emphasise that the referee should have directly seen the handball foul.

"My life, regardless of nationality and race, must continue in a place where there is safety, respect, peace, and equality before the law as a football person, so with a heavy heart, I have decided to leave this place after the end of this season. I would like to express my gratitude to the club and players with whom I could share success and history, and I am truly grateful to the fans who have given me unwavering support. I will not forget you."

Jeonbuk issued their own statement defending Taricco, arguing that the gesture lacked malicious intent.

"It would be unreasonable to view [Taricco’s behaviour] as an intention of racial discrimination," the club said. "The club expects a more objective and balanced judgment to be made through the appeal process and will do its best until the end so that coach Tano [Taricco] can quickly get out of this dishonourable situation and his memory of the K League and Korean football does not remain as a bitter pain."

Several Jeonbuk players also expressed support, most notably Lee Seung-woo, the former Barcelona academy forward who has played in Italy, Belgium and Portugal.

“The coach respects Korea more than anyone else,” Lee said. “The judgment that ignores intent and context is far from the truth. This punishment is even more shocking because I know the sincerity of the coach I’ve been with for a year.”

Despite Jeonbuk’s defence, the K League rejected Taricco’s appeal on Monday, ruling there were no procedural errors in the disciplinary process and no new evidence to justify overturning the verdict. The committee reaffirmed its stance that the gesture met the definition of racially offensive behaviour. The rejection all but sealed Taricco’s exit, leaving him to finish his duties for the season before departing.

The controversy has overshadowed what had been another successful year for Jeonbuk. The club secured their 10th K League title in October with five matches remaining, reaffirming their place as one of Asia’s dominant footballing forces. Jeonbuk’s final match of the season, the Korean FA Cup final against Gwangju on December 6, will now serve as Taricco’s farewell, though the circumstances are far from ideal.