Micky van de Ven's posts Tottenham message after expert's verdict on him being suspended
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(Credit: Imago)
Jonathan Burnett
Wed 17 September 2025 9:37, UK
Tottenham Hotspur made their long-awaited return to the Champions League with a flurry of debuts for Thomas Frank and his squad.
Frank led his team onto the group stages of a European competition for the first time in his career as Spurs welcomed Villarreal to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and came away with a narrow 1-0 victory.
Guglielmo Vicario, Micky van de Ven, Richarlison and Djed Spence all made their Champions League debut, as did the impressive Pape Sarr and Lucas Bergvall after an early own goal won it for Tottenham.
Villarreal goalkeeper Luiz Junior spilling the ball into his own net from a Bergvall cross just four minutes in made all the difference to give Frank’s side a winning start, but the victory didn’t come without several tests for Tottenham.
Credit: Imago
Luiz Junior’s own goal coming so early into the match still left Spurs with plenty of work to do to seal the points, and controversy reigned with Xavi Simons lucky to avoid being dismissed for a two yellow cards.
Tottenham kept 11 men on the pitch as Frank withdrew both Simons and Richarlison towards the end of the second half, but Van de Ven was also shown a yellow card for a foul near his box in the latter stages.
Ex-PGMOL chief Keith Hackett told Football Insider that Van de Ven was “fortunate” not to be shown a red card for his challenge on Georges Mikautadze, which would have resulted in a Champions League suspension.
The Dutchman posted on Instagram at full-time following the controversy.
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Van de Ven’s post said “Champions League debut & win”, as several of his team-mates responded, with Pedro Porro calling the centre-back “brother” and Guglielmo Vicario saying: “Yes Lungo, let’s go”.
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Frank’s Champions League debut with Tottenham may have ended with three points, but a somewhat nervy display after Luiz Junior’s early own goal still left plenty of room for improvement going forward.
The Dane has been urged to play Simons as a number 10 in the future after his uncomfortable display out wide on the left flank, particularly after Spurs failed to sign a more natural player in this position.
Tottenham’s transfer kitty could be boosted by £100million in the future as the club’s owners take on a more hands-on approach to recruitment, but for the time being, the onus is on Frank to find the right balance for his new-look side.