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.