If nothing else, there is something to be said for the idea that staying afloat in awkward away games is a necessary skill. Little more could be taken from a grim night’s work by Tottenham, who should have been well beaten by an inventive and ambitious Monaco.

The smattering of full-time boos from their travelling fans cut through in a mostly atmosphere-free venue and, while this is hardly a time for alarm bells, the absence of any outfield player capable of seizing the day was stark.

• Asian Football Confederation under pressure not to sanction game

• Barcelona v Villarreal in Miami has already been called off

Serie A’s plan to host a match in Australia could be the next attempt at staging a domestic fixture abroad to be scrapped, following the abandonment of La Liga’s efforts to move Barcelona’s game against Villarreal to Miami.

The Guardian understands there are serious doubts over whether Milan and Como will face each other in Perth, rather than their home country, in a game scheduled for February. This month Uefa approved both switches, emphasising permission had been granted on an exceptional basis. Now senior figures within European football’s governing body feel that the probability of Serie A breaking precedent and playing a game 8,500 miles from home is also receding.

Almost three years after his last game the former Barcelona and Everton forward is in Udinese’s gym each weekday morning, refusing to give up

The morning light is still sharpening, training its beam through the windows at the far end of the gym. Around the walls, painted black up to halfway, are motivational slogans that have become common currency in training environments. “Go hard or go home,” one of them urges. “Hard work beats talent, when talent chooses not to work hard,” cautions another.

Beneath the second of those messages, Gerard Deulofeu stands in conversation with Angel Aceña, Udinese’s rehab fitness coach. They are a team now, working towards a goal that never quite stands still. It is 8.30am and, as always, Deulofeu has been here for half an hour. There has been a session on one set of weights and shortly he will cross the room for another, checking a monitor for the latest notes of optimism. There is not another footballer in sight.