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LONDON. — Tottenham’s miserable start to the season shows little sign of improving quickly, but prior to Red Star Belgrade’s visit tonight, Spurs can take some solace from the fact they are in a better position in the Champions League football than they were 12 months ago.

Defeats to Inter Milan and Barcelona saw them travel to PSV Eindhoven for what manager Mauricio Pochettino described as a “must-win”. After a 2-2 draw in the Netherlands, Pochettino admitted his side’s Champions League campaign was “nearly over.”

Yet, eight months later, the Argentine had led Tottenham to their first ever Champions League final. The hangover from defeat to Liverpool in that final in Madrid has been long and sobering. Spurs have won just three of their opening 12 games in all competitions this season. Chances of a first trophy under Pochettino in the League Cup have already gone after an embarrassing exit on penalties to fourth-tier Colchester and they are already five points off the pace just for a place in the Premier League’s top four.

However, Pochettino admitted that the most damaging defeat of all came last time out in the Champions League, when Bayern Munich ran riot in the second-half to leave London 7-2 winners.

Champions League Fixtures

Today: Shakhtar Donetsk v Dinamo Zagreb (Metalist Stadium 6:55pm); Atletico Madrid v Bayer Leverkusen (Wanda Metropolitano 6:55pm); Juventus v Lokomotiv Moscow (Allianz Stadium 9pm); Manchester City v Atalanta (Etihad Stadium 9pm); Club Brugge v Paris SG (Jan Breydel Stadion 9pm); Olympiacos v Bayern Munchen (Karaiskakis Stadium 9pm); Tottenham Hotspur v Red Star Belgrade (Tottenham Hotspur Stadium 9pm) Galatasaray v Real Madrid (Turk Telekom Arena 9pm).— AFP.