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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Matt Verri

Three things Tottenham learned from Chelsea about how to beat PSG

Spurs face PSG in the Super Cup in Udine on Wednesday - (AFP via Getty Images)

It is a daunting task facing Thomas Frank as he takes charge of Tottenham in Europe for the first time.

His side face Paris Saint-Germain in Udine on Wednesday in the UEFA Super Cup in what is a major test just three days before the start of the Premier League season.

PSG knocked out Liverpool and Arsenal before thrashing Inter Milan in the Champions League final last season.

However, it is a month since PSG were last in action, losing 3-0 to Chelsea in the Club World Cup final, and so Spurs should be significantly sharper than their opponents tonight.

Chelsea beat PSG 3-0 to win the Club World Cup (Getty Images)

That Chelsea performance will also offer encouragement to Spurs that PSG can be caused real problems.

Here are three lessons Spurs can learn from that Club World Cup final...

Start fast and win early exchanges

Enzo Maresca made no secret of Chelsea's desire to unsettle PSG in the early stages.

"I think we won the game in the first 10 minutes and the message before the game was to make them understand that we are here to win the game," Maresca said.

"The idea was to go man-to-man. PSG are so good if you give them time you will struggle. You have to press them intensely."

Spurs will not be able to press PSG man-to-man for 90 minutes but they can lay down an early marker against a team who are likely to be lacking sharpness.

Chelsea exposed some weaknesses in the PSG team (Getty Images)

It will require braveness, with PSG having the technical ability to play through that press. Spurs, though, have the energy in midfield and attack to make it uncomfortable.

There will be spells where Spurs need to sit in, but in the opening exchanges it it is crucial that they make an impression.

Direct approach could be key

Spurs can expect to be pressed aggressively themselves. PSG's front players work incredibly hard and will do so again here, even if they don't have a pre-season under their belts.

Frank could opt to try and bypass that press by going long, as Chelsea did successfully.

The Blues' first goal from a long ball from Robert Sanchez, while Levi Colwill and Moises Caicedo also caused PSG problems with passes over the top.

Regardless of what wingers Frank opts for tonight, there will be no shortage of pace for Spurs. Mohammed Kudus, Mathys Tel, Brennan Johnson and Wilson Odobert are all capable of exploiting the space in behind.

Exploit space left by Mendes

Nuno Mendes was one of the very best players in Europe last season, impressing in his battles against the likes of Bukayo Saka and Mohamed Salah.

Going one-on-one against him is difficult but Spurs will have opportunities to avoid that being necessary if they can counter quickly.

Mendes will regularly fly up the left wing and leave space behind him. Chelsea exploited that perfectly for their second goal, winning the ball back and playing in Palmer out on the right with Mendes out of position up the pitch.

Kudus has tracked back well throughout pre-season and will be tasked with doing so again tonight, but there could be moments for him to stay slightly higher up the pitch and let Mendes go.

If Spurs can then win the ball back, Kudus will have opportunities to lead the break and take advantage of that space out wide.

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