Spurs go out - but could influence a whole summer elsewhere

Dressing room could yet bring quicker change at Tottenham

The Tottenham Hotspur hierarchy are intently assessing the atmosphere around the training ground, which could well see Antonio Conte moved on before the season ends. There was actually some surprise he wasn’t sacked in the immediate aftermath of the Champions League elimination to AC Milan but that really comes down to a simple question: how affected will qualification for next season’s Champions League be by all of this. As it is, Spurs are still in an OK position, so there is no immediate need to destabilise. The wonder, however, is whether this season has already done the damage. This is why the hierarchy are so attuned to the dressing room response. It is what might bring Conte’s early departure. If there are signs of a further drop-off, he could well be gone. Harry Kane, meanwhile, is giving even more mind to his future. At present, it is highly unlikely he will sign a new deal, but that is naturally influenced by the immediate emotional aftermath of such an elimination.

Romantic return isn't quite as fated as expected

That could be all the more influential for the future of the biggest figure in Spurs’ recent history. It’s funny how things work out. It was only at the start of this week that many were talking about how Mauricio Pochettino would soon be offered the Chelsea job, and was going to consider it. As it is, Graham Potter now looks in a much better position, and all momentum shifts towards Pochettino and the grand return. It should be stressed that it isn’t quite as destined to happen as the romance of it all would make out. Pochettino would have options, and also complications, given that there was a sense his first spell at Spurs had run its course. There are still some tensions from that time, and the manager spent a lot of angling for a job that could be available in the summer in Real Madrid. There are going to be a lot of moving parts here.

The Bernabeu potentially the big job this summer

Pochettino may have competition there, though. With Carlo Ancelotti anticipated to leave the Bernabeu in the summer, it is set to be the prize role, a new managerial appointment perhaps crowning a new era. Thomas Tuchel and - naturally - Conte are among those also eyeing it. It makes this a potentially interesting summer for the coaching market, that comes at a point when we are potentially moving onto the next generation of managers.

Perez plans for Bellingham, but dreams of more...

Any new Madrid manager could well have Jude Bellingham as the star act in his team. An admittedly underwhelming Champions League appearance in London meant another round of speculation, but also some concrete movements and meetings. Madrid still think they are well out in front as regards Bellingham’s signature, but nothing is yet signed. Florentino Perez wants to bring in a forward alongside him - with the two essentially succeeding Luka Modric and Karim Benzema - and is increasingly letting it be known he would be intrigued by Erling Haaland over Kylian Mbappe. Part of that might be because Mbappe has now turned Madrid down twice, when once never goes well with Perez, and part of it might be that leaking that is a way to try and make the French star have a think about what next. Madrid are willing to test Manchester City’s resolve but it seems highly dubious that they could get Haaland in the next year. The English champions would obviously fight hard to keep him after that, too, especially with such a contract. Madrid are expected to have money to spend, though, after a relatively ascetic four years since the signing of Eden Hazard.

Ten Hag shows singular mindset

Manchester United feel they have already put Sunday behind them, the freewheeling nature of the victory over Real Betis showing the scale of the humiliation to Liverpool didn’t have any deeper effects on the belief that Erik ten Hag has built. Many say it was also testament to how the Dutch coach man-manages these situations, and where his inner steel is so influential. Of course, much depends on what happens next against Southampton, but previous versions of United might well have collapsed after Betis equalised on Thursday.

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Miguel's Dispatches

Chelsea have been giving more and more consideration over what to do with the stadium, a question made all the more pressing when it comes to big Champions League games. The media room - let alone the stands - aren’t big enough for the amount of interest. It drew some consternation from the media over for Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday, in a room where there was barely space to move. One little vignette illustrates it. It was that of a former Champions League winner working as a pundit insisting someone take his photo as they ate their media room food using a bin as a table.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

"My contract expires in June, we will see – they might sack me even before the end of the season."

Antonio Conte and conspicuous comments on his future at Tottenham Hotspur

Of the 18 teams to lose by seven or more goals in the Premier League before this season, only six actually got relegated that same season. Name the clubs and season.

(You can find out the answers here. The answer page will be updated weekly and contains answers from previous newsletters, too)

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