Tottenham Hotspur Vs Monaco Player Ratings: Goalkeeping Masterclass in a 0-0 Stalemate

What a baffling game of football. We just witnessed Monaco and Tottenham Hotspur play out a goalless draw in the Champions League, but the scoreline tells you absolutely nothing. This was utter domination from the home side at Stade Louis II. It was wave after wave of red and white attacks. From our perspective, Tottenham were incredibly lucky to escape with a point. They have one man to thank for this heist: Guglielmo Vicario. The Italian goalkeeper was simply out of this world, pulling off save after save. He single-handedly denied Monaco what should have been a comfortable victory.

Monaco will be kicking themselves. They had 23 shots, with 10 on target, but just couldn't find a way past the inspired keeper. Players like Maghnes Akliouche and Folarin Balogun were a constant menace but their finishing let them down spectacularly. It was one of those nights where you just felt a goal was never going to come for them, no matter what they tried. Spurs, on the other hand offered next to nothing going forward. A point is a point, but their performance in this match was concerning.

Tottenham Hotspur Player Ratings vs Monaco

Goalkeeper

Guglielmo Vicario - 9.0: An absolutely phenomenal, match-winning performance without his team even winning. We genuinely can't give him any less than a 9. He made an incredible eight saves, many of them from point-blank range. What stood out to us was his stop from Kassoum Ouattara's header, a truly world-class save. He was the only reason Tottenham are leaving France with a point. Unquestionably the highest-rated player on the pitch.

Defenders

Kevin Danso - 7.0: A solid display at the heart of a defense under siege. He made some crucial blocks and clearances to keep the door shut. He will be disappointed to have missed a big-headed chance from a corner. Overall, a very commendable effort under immense pressure.

Archie Gray - 6.5: It was an okay performance from the young defender. He made a couple of important interceptions and clearances. However, he also seemed a bit overwhelmed at times by Monaco's relentless attack. A tough, but valuable, learning experience for him in Europe.

Pedro Porro - 7.0: One of the few Spurs players who tried to provide an attacking spark. He was constantly looking to move forward and put balls into the box. This ambition meant he lost possession quite a bit, but we liked his positive intent. Defensively, he held his own against a tricky attack.

Micky van de Ven - 7.5: A true captain's performance from the Dutchman. His recovery pace was an absolute necessity against Monaco's quick counters. He was strong, decisive and made three massive blocks. He led a backline that somehow, someway, kept a clean sheet.

Midfielders

João Palhinha - 6.0: A really tough evening for the holding midfielder. He battled hard as always but was largely bypassed by Monaco's fluid midfield. He was dribbled past four times which tells the story of his struggle. He never gave up, but this was a game that passed him by.

Lucas Bergvall - 5.5: We were disappointed with his showing. He looked off the pace and struggled to make any impact on the game. A couple of his errors led directly to shots for the opposition. It was no surprise to see him hooked on the hour mark.

Mohammed Kudus - 6.5: A frustrating night for a player with so much talent. He showed flashes of his ability and created a couple of chances. However, he was dispossessed five times and his final ball was often lacking. He tried to make things happen but it just wasn't his night.

Wilson Odobert - 6.5: Looked quite lively before his game was cruelly cut short by injury. He created three key passes in his time on the pitch and seemed one of Spurs' more likely avenues to a goal. It was a shame to see him go off.

Rodrigo Bentancur - 5.5: Similar to Bergvall, he just couldn't get into the game. The pace and intensity of Monaco's midfield seemed too much for him. He lost most of his duels and was ineffective before his substitution.

Forwards

Richarlison - 6.0: A thankless task for the Brazilian striker. He was completely isolated and starved of service for most of the match. He picked up a yellow card out of sheer frustration. He worked hard but had barely a sniff of goal.

Substitutes

Pape Matar Sarr, Xavi Simons, Brennan Johnson, Randal Kolo Muani, and Djed Spence were all introduced but failed to change the tide of the game, as Spurs remained firmly on the back foot. None could provide the spark needed to trouble the Monaco defence.

Manager

T. Frank - 6.0: He set his team up to be defensively solid, and they did get a clean sheet. But they were completely outplayed and offered nothing in attack. His side owes their point entirely to their goalkeeper. The substitutions made little to no impact on proceedings.

Monaco Player Ratings vs Tottenham Hotspur

Goalkeeper

Philipp Köhn - 7.5: Didn't have nearly as much to do as his opposite number. However, what he did, he did well. He was commanding in his box, claiming high balls and making two solid saves. A confident and assured performance.

Defenders

Thilo Kehrer - 7.0: A composed performance from the captain. He was very tidy in possession and strong in his defensive duties. He should have done better with a headed chance from a corner. But his main job was defending and he did it well.

Caio Henrique - 8.0: What a performance from the left-back. He was a phenomenal creative force, racking up an astonishing six key passes. His delivery from open play and set pieces was a constant danger. A brilliant display both defensively and offensively.

Mohammed Salisu - 7.5: An absolute monster at the back. He won 100% of his duels, which is an incredible stat. He was dominant in the air and read the game perfectly, making seven clearances. A truly commanding defensive performance from our perspective.

Midfielders

J. Teze - 7.0: An all-action display in the midfield. He contributed all over the pitch, winning tackles and joining attacks. He will be kicking himself for missing a big chance, though—still, a very positive and energetic performance.

Kassoum Ouattara - 6.5: Put in a decent shift before being substituted. He was industrious and won a good number of his tackles. His passing was a little untidy at times, but his work rate was commendable.

Krépin Diatta - 7.5: He was absolutely brilliant before his unfortunate injury. In just 57 minutes, he created four chances and was the main architect of Monaco's attacks. His departure was a huge blow for the home side's creative efforts.

Mamadou Coulibaly - 8.0: A midfield masterclass. He was everywhere. He won a staggering 10 duels, recovered the ball eight times, and still had the quality to create three chances. It was a complete, dominant performance that deserved to be on the winning side.

Forwards

Folarin Balogun - 6.0: A deeply frustrating night for the striker. His movement was clever and he got into several great positions. However, he missed two big chances that he really should have buried. He needs to be more clinical on nights like these.

Maghnes Akliouche - 7.5: Monaco's most dangerous player. He had six shots and was a constant thorn in Tottenham's side. He forced Vicario into some good saves and was always looking to make something happen. With a bit more composure, he could have had a hat-trick.

Ansu Fati - 7.0: A lively and positive display. He linked up well with his teammates and created three chances. He looked sharp and inventive before being taken off. A good building block for him.

Substitutes

Aleksandr Golovin, Takumi Minamino, Christian Mawissa, and Mika Biereth all came on to try and find the breakthrough. Minamino missed a couple of decent chances, but the story remained the same for Monaco: lots of chances, no goals.

Manager

S. Pocognoli - 7.0: From a tactical standpoint, he got everything right. His team dominated a strong opponent, created a host of chances, and were defensively sound. He can't put the ball in the net for his players. He will be furious they didn't win but pleased with the performance.