Wednesday Hoddle of Coffee: News and Links for November 1st, 2017

Gooood morning Spursland!

So this is it- our crucial tie with Real Madrid has arrived, and the tension is almost unbearable. Will Harry Kane be fit to play? What system will Poch use if he isn’t? How many Madrid players will be involved in the inevitable brawl with Dele? How soon into the first half will Sergio Ramos receive his first yellow card? How soon into the second half will he receive his second? What’s my xWeep for the evening? All these questions and more will be answered in a matter of hours- in the meantime sate yourself with your Theme of the Day, and below that your links.

Links

Real Madrid left-back Marcelo has rubbished the notion that Spurs are reliant on Harry Kane. We all know he’s just saying that to upset Pep Guardiola but we’ll take the compliment anyhow.

Harry Winks wants Spurs to use tonight’s tie as an opportunity to replicate our famous victory over Inter in 2011. As long as he isn’t planning to follow through on that by getting himself sent off in the first half then it sounds good to me.

Here’s ESPN FC’s take on what Spurs have to do to stop Real Madrid tonight.

And MARCA’s take on what Madrid have to do to stop Spurs tonight.

Elsewhere in football...

There is, I hear, some other football going on this evening, and Napoli-City looks set to be the pick of this evening’s other European ties.

And some more football also happened last night- tee hee.

From the Champions League to the Championship- ready the cracked badge graphic! Sunderland have said goodbye to yet another manager as the side battles against the prospect of a second relegation in a year.

And finally...

The Guardian’s David Squires on football at Hallowe’en. You know the drill.