With one eye on the Premier League title, Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino decided to send out a weakened team at the Westfalenstadion on Thursday night, with unsurprising consequences.
With the likes of Harry Kane and Erik Lamela on the bench, the Lilywhites were second-best from the start, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s header sending Dortmund in at the break 1-0 up.
In the second-half, German attacker Marco Reus added a brace to put the Black and Yellows very much in the driving seat ahead of the return leg next week. And Reus’ second of the game was a magnificent team effort which bamboozled the visitors…
The third goal that Dortmund smashed in:https://t.co/Zvipaqp7mT
— Coral (@Coral) March 10, 2016
Opta’s Dutch team Tweeted this graphic of the goal which shows the entirety of the passing move which created it. Fabulous stuff…
21 – @BVB‘s 3-0 by Marco Reus was preceded by 21 passes, a joint-record this Europa League season. Team. pic.twitter.com/4gfZ5Z0DWe
— OptaJohan (@OptaJohan) March 10, 2016
With a very winnable league clash with Aston Villa at the weekend, Pochettino surely could have started both Kane and Lamela against Dortmund and then rested them for the domestic game. However, as it stands, the Lilywhites’ chances of progressing to the last eight of the Europa League are looking very slim indeed.
Although, to be fair, being out of Europe could well help the north Londoners’ chances of catching league leaders Leicester City and securing their first-ever Premier League title in May.