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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Jack Rosser

RB Leipzig vs Tottenham: Three key battles that could decide Champions League clash

Tottenham return to Champions League action on Tuesday evening as they try to rescue their quarter-final hopes away at RB Leipzig.

Last season's beaten finalists travel to Red Bull Arena trailing 1-0 in the last-16 tie after Timo Werner's second-half penalty secured a 1-0 win for the visitors at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last month.

Already without two influential forwards in injured duo Harry Kane and Heung-min Son, Jose Mourinho's attacking options have been further depleted by the news that highly-rated January signing Steven Bergwijn could miss the remainder of the season with an ankle problem.

Here, football correspondent Jack Rosser examines three key battles that could determine the outcome tonight...

Dele Alli vs Dayot Upamecano

Valued highly: RB Leipzig defender Dayot Upamecano (AFP via Getty Images)

One of Tottenham's only remaining hopes going forward, Alli says he must step up and deliver in an unusual role in the absence of Mourinho's main strikers.

He faces quite the tussle with Upamecano if he is to turn the tide. The defender is valued at up to £70million by the Germans and can go a long way to proving why on Tuesday night.

Davinson Sanchez vs Timo Werner

Can Davinson Sanchez contain the threat of Timo Werner? (AFP via Getty Images)

Werner has been tormenting defenders all season, notching 27 goals across all competitions.

Sanchez will have to shackle his ferocious pace as Spurs look to restore a bit of balance at the back and keep a clean sheet for the first time in more than a month.

With few options up front, Mourinho needs a solid defence to have any hope of getting through.

Ryan Sessegnon vs Lukas Klostermann

Opportunity knocks: Ryan Sessegnon (Getty Images)

Mourinho believes this is Sessegnon's big chance to finally make his mark as a Tottenham player, and what a stage it would be to impress on.

With his forward-line depleted, Mourinho will need his full-backs to cause as many problems as possible going forward, something Sessegnon is more than capable of.

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