Spurs in the Champions League: The Best Nights

After falling short in their title challenge, Spurs secured a coveted Champions League spot and will be looking to build on last season’s success with an even better campaign this time around. This will only be Tottenham’s third venture into the European Cup/Champions League, but their two previous runs in the elite European competition will live long in the memory of every Spurs fan. So let’s hype up the excitement a little more and relive some of the best nights in Spurs’ European Cup/Champions League history.

1st November 1961 – Feyenoord 1 – 3 Tottenham

Spurs were handed a difficult draw away to Dutch champions Feyenoord in the first proper round of their European Cup debut. Bill Nicholson’s side started the game well and went into the break 1-0 up, after Terry Dyson headed home from a set piece. Spurs started the second half on the front foot and Frank Saul’s looping header soon made it 2-0. A stunning strike on the hour saw Kreijermaat pull a goal back, but Saul struck again ten minutes later, securing a fantastic 1-3 away win and showing the whole of Europe that Spurs meant business.

5th April 1962 – Tottenham 2 – 1 Benfica

The semi-final draw pitted Spurs against reigning champions Benfica, who were widely regarded as the best team in the world at the time. They got off to a slow start in the first leg and came away from Portugal 3-1 behind, but there was still plenty of confidence in the camp that they could overturn the deficit and book their spot in the final. An early Benfica goal put a huge spanner in the works, but Bobby Smith equalised before half-time rekindling the optimism around White Hart Lane. Danny Blanchflower’s second half penalty started a tidal-wave of Spurs pressure, but try as they might, they just couldn’t find a third goal to take the tie into extra time.

20 October 2010 – Inter Milan 4 – 3 Tottenham

Home victories over Inter, Werder Bremen and F.C Twente would secure Spurs top-spot in Group A, but they travelled to the San Siro in their third group game looking to make a statement against the defending champions. Harry Redknapp’s side couldn’t have wished for a worse first half and came into the break a man down 4-0 behind. However, the second half will always be remembered as the Gareth Bale show, and can be pinpointed as the moment the Welshman realised his true potential and thrust himself into footballing stardom. His second half hat-trick was absolutely magnificent and even though Spurs couldn’t rescue a draw, it’s sure to go down as one of the most memorable matches in Tottenham’s European history.

15th February 2011 - A.C Milan 0-1 Tottenham

The first knock-out stage draw saw Spurs return the San Siro to take on Inter’s big rivals A.C Milan, in what would prove to be a very bad-tempered and exciting encounter.

The Italians controlled the majority of the game, but Spurs remained very dangerous, looking to utilise the blistering pace of Bale and Aaron Lennon to catch Milan on the counter. Heurelho Gomes, who had been sent off in the defeat to Inter, was enjoying a much more positive evening and pulled off a string of top quality saves to keep Spurs in the game. As the game drifted into the final 10 minutes, Milan were pushing for a late goal, but Spurs won the ball back and Lennon was released down the right. The England winger raced towards the box, skipping past Alessandro Nesta, before squaring the ball to Peter Crouch, who slotted the ball into the far corner to send the travelling Tottenham contingent into complete meltdown. A post-match scrap between Joe Jordan and Gennaro Gattuso showed just how damaging the defeat was to Milan, as Spurs flew back to London celebrating an astonishing victory.

Week by week this season, Spurs Odyssey will be re-living our Champions League season of 2010-11. Don't forget, you can re-live just about any Spurs game from the last 18 years through our archives page

Follow @spursodyssey