Guglielmo Vicario was an immense figure in goal for Tottenham Hotspur. He put in a magnificent shift, guiding his side to a highly impressive goalless draw with AS Monaco in their midweek UEFA Champions League tie. The second leg at Stade Louis II saw Spurs under an early assault from Monaco. On the night the home side managed a staggering 23 shots and had an expected goals (xG) count nearing 2.5.
Any trepidation for the goalkeeper was rubbed away by Vicario’s excellence, a debut underlined by eight crucial saves in the match. His tactical interventions were absolutely key to preventing Monaco from scoring on the counter-attack. In the end, Tottenham came away with a well-earned point from the principality. The outcome, courtesy of Harry Kane’s brace, meant that the North London club stayed unbeaten through the group stages of the Champions League this season.
A Defensive Stalwart
The clash was a measure of Spurs’ resolve and solidity in the backline. Monaco unleashed their high press from the start, with several opportunities forcing Vicario into a flurry of high danger saves. Early in the first half, he pulled off an incredible save. In particular, his brilliant save from Folarin Balogun when an American equalizer looked imminent.
As the game went on, Vicario only got more impressive. Against Jordan Teze in the second half, he produced an incredible one-handed stop. The point-blank header appeared to be going into the net, which he somehow kept out. Vicario’s performance was widely acknowledged as a key reason why Tottenham managed to escape with a draw despite being outshot and outperformed.
In his post-match comments, none other than Brentford’s Danish manager — Thomas Frank — gave credit where credit was due. He noted, “So it can be a combination of lack of intensity, a combination of Monaco hitting a very high level, a combination of us not hitting the best level. They had too many shots to what I would like.”
Praise for Vicario
For Guglielmo Vicario’s performance not to raise eyebrows among fans and pundits would’ve been bordering on the miraculous. The goalkeeper’s incredible saves throughout the match brought rave reviews from his coach and rival players alike. AS Monaco head coach Sebastien Pocognoli pointed to Vicario’s performance as the sole bright spot on the night for Tottenham.
He was fantastic today,” Pocognoli said, acknowledging the important role Vicario had in making sure they settled for the tie. Thomas Frank echoed this sentiment, stating, “I think some of the saves were exceptional tonight. He’s a big part of why we got a hard-fought point, but at the end of the day, it can be a crucial point.”
Even Vicario himself said afterwards that they could be better. He stated, “Not the best performance from us, so a lot to learn from this game because the level in the Champions League is very high.”
Unbeaten Run Continues
That 2-0 defeat of titans Monaco was extraordinary! It means that Thomas Frank has become the first Tottenham boss in history to go undefeated in his opening three Champions League games. The goalkeeper had been previously dogged by accusations of conceding soft goals in other games. His display this time showed exactly how important he is to the team.
Tottenham’s defense was under constant pressures across the 90 minutes, but Vicario’s impressive performance sealed Tottenham a crucial point on their return to London. His superb displays were integral to the North London club going undefeated throughout this year’s Champions League group stages. It took some of the pressure off after years of criticism.
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