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'Clean sheet mentality' drives Tottenham to win over Villarreal
Another day, another clean sheet for the new-look Tottenham Hotspur.
Spurs claimed a 1-0 victory over visiting Villarreal to kick off their Champions League campaign on Tuesday, with the North Londoners putting on a defensive masterclass against a club that has scored eight goals in their first four La Liga matches.
Tottenham admittedly had some luck on their side, with an horrendous own-goal from Villarreall goalkeeper Luiz Junior in the fourth minute ultimately deciding the game. But that's not to take away from Spurs' new approach under Thomas Frank, who has placed defensive solidity at the top of the club's priority list after they gave up an astonishing 65 goals in the league last year while playing former manager Ange Postecoglou's famously high-octane style.
The result of Frank's focus on clamping things down at the back are obvious, as Spurs have now shut out their opponents in four of their last five matches across all competitions.
While fans and pundits may just be starting to notice, Tottenham players are seeing the fruits of their labour pay off, and they're not surprised at the results so far.
"I think we are a difficult team to play against, for sure," Spurs centre-back Micky van de Ven told Amazon Prime after Tuesday's match. "Structure-wise we are standing really good and we all know what to do, so we're a difficult team to beat."
That structure held Villarreal to zero shots on target in Tuesday's win, a fact that did not go unnoticed by the team.
"It was really tough," Tottenham midfielder Lucas Bergvall admitted to Amazon Prime. "Villarreal did a great performance but a 1-0 win at home is amazing.
"We managed to get three points today and we talk a lot about 'clean sheet mentality' and they did not have a shot on target, so we did a really good job."
Of course, while early returns are positive for the club, there's still a lot of football to be played in multiple competitions. Frank, who joined Spurs from Brentford over the summer, explained that the learning process is ongoing, and with the players on board for his defence-first approach the next step is clear.
"I learned that they are working very hard and we have a very good foundation to stand on in terms of our defensive organisation," Frank told Amazon Prime. "I think it's good and we gave little away [on Tuesday].
"This is the Champions League against a good team. Also, I knew it we took a step forward against West Ham [last weekend, winning 0-3], offensively is the area we need to get better."
How to watch the Champions League in the USA on DAZN
Soccer fans in the US can watch selected Champions League as part of their DAZN subscription package, in Spanish language.
For each match week, DAZN will have exclusive coverage of the top three pick games, including the likes of Real Madrid, Manchester City, Liverpool, and PSG, in Spanish. Click here to see which games are available on DAZN .
Sign up between September 11-September 19, 2025, to get an Annual Subscription for $179.99 (down from $224.99) as a one-off up-front cost; or $15.99 per month for 12 months, (reduced from $19.99 per month)*.
A DAZN subscription also provides access to 185 fight nights a year across boxing, MMA, PFL, BKFC, Glory and much more.
CBS has coverage of every Champions League match in English language this season. You can get more details and subscribe to CBS's Champions League coverage here.
*New customers only
How to watch the Champions League in New Zealand on DAZN
Every Champions League game during the 2025-26 season is streamed in high-definition and comes as part of a DAZN subscription.
New customers can get a special 20% discount for a subscription. Sign up between September 11-September 19, 2025, to get an Annual Subscription for $119.99 (down from $149.99) as a one-off up-front cost; or $11.99 per month for 12 months, (reduced from $14.99)*.
A DAZN subscription also provides access to 185 fight nights a year across boxing, MMA, PFL, BKFC, Glory and much more.
How to watch the Champions League in Canada on DAZN
Watch every game of the Champions League this season in Canada with a DAZN subscription.
There are three subscription options, offering differing selections of sports in each. Access to every Champions League match is included in all three package offerings, ranging from $29.99 to $44.99 per month (for 12 months)
