CSKA v Tottenham: line-ups, where to watch, form guide
Monday, September 26, 2016
Article summary
CSKA Moskva coach Leonid Slutski has called Tottenham Hotspur "one of the best teams in the world", but Mauricio Pochettino's visitors are missing a host of first-team regulars.
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Article body
- CSKA coach Leonid Slutski calls Tottenham "one of the best teams in the world"
- CSKA have not lost in nine home games in all competitions, since 25 November
- Spurs without regular starters Kane, Dier, Dembélé and Rose
- Visitors making first ever trip to Russian capital
- Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino says this is "must win" for his team
Possible line-ups
CSKA Moskva: Akinfeev; Mário Fernandes, V Berezutski, Ignashevich, Schennikov; Ionov, Wernbloom, Milanov, Eremenko, Golovin; Traoré.
Out: Cauņa (ankle)
Doubtful: Dzagoev (muscle)
Tottenham: Lloris; Walker, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Davies; Wanyama, Alli; Son, Eriksen, Lamela; Janssen.
Out: Kane (ankle), Dier (cramp), Rose (hamstring), Sissoko (concussion), Dembélé (hamstring)
Where to watch
Fans can find their local UEFA Champions League broadcast partner(s) here.
Leonid Slutski, CSKA coach
Tottenham are strong at set pieces, yes, but the question is how we are going to defend against their overall attacking threat. It doesn't matter that Kane isn't playing because they have an amazing group of attacking players.
Last season Spurs had an amazing team and tried to win the title. This season they are playing a little differently because many teams sit back against them. They are one of the best teams and therefore one of the best in the world.
Mauricio Pochettino, Tottenham manager
We were disappointed after Monaco. We need to improve. We must win tomorrow. I don't think that inexperience was the reason for our result against Monaco. We simply didn't play very well; Monaco created two chances and scored two goals.
We don't want to risk Dier and Dembélé. When you play in a tournament like the Champions League it's very important to have many quality players, to be competitive on all fronts. We did a good job in the summer transfer window. It means that when we have five key players injured, we can replace them.
Weekend results
CSKA 1-1 Krasnodar (Traoré 3; Smolov 15)
CSKA missed the chance to leapfrog city rivals Spartak Moskva at the top of the Premier-Liga.
Middlesbrough 1-2 Tottenham (Gibson 65; Son 7 23)
Heung-Min Son's second double in as many away matches means he has already equalled his total of four league goals from last term.
Form guide (all competitions, most recent first)
CSKA: DLWDWW
Tottenham: WWWLWD
Reporter's view: Richard van Poortvliet (@UEFAcomRichVP)
CSKA will have been buoyed by their excellent matchday one fightback in Leverkusen, and if goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev can keep his first clean sheet in 39 games on Tuesday, things could look even better for the Army Men. However, Tottenham will be in no mood to sit back following their opening defeat by Monaco and will regard this fixture as a chance to claim all three points against a less-than-watertight CSKA.
Did you know?
Slutski was coach of the Russia side who drew 1-1 with England at UEFA EURO 2016 thanks to Vasili Berezutski's injury-time equaliser. Eric Dier had earlier scored a free-kick past Akinfeev. Find out more in our extensive match background.