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Tottenham were swept aside by Barcelona on Wednesday evening, but the performance of Davinson Sanchez showed once again that the Colombian is the future of Tottenham’s defence.

First half strikes from Philippe Coutinho and Ivan Rakitic and a second half brace from Lionel Messi left Tottenham joint-bottom of their Champions League group, but there were positives to take from the match.

Sanchez was phenomenal for Colombia at the World Cup and flawless last weekend against Huddersfield, and his display was a silver lining in Wednesday’s defeat.

Sanchez performance vs Barcelona

Sanchez won three aerial duels during the 4-2 loss, while no other Tottenham player won more than two, and he also made one crucial block to stop the scoreline getting any worse.

The young defender made four tackles, three interceptions and two clearances, and it’s when you compare these numbers to Toby Alderweireld that they really stand out.

Alderweireld won no aerial duels, made just one tackle and just one interception. Fans were desperate to see the 29 year-old sign a new contract this summer as they feel he is crucial to kick the club to the next level, but Wednesday night showed it’s actually Sanchez who is more suited to playing at the elite level.

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The 22 year-old is brilliant on the ball as well, completing 88 per cent of his passes including six successful long balls out of eight attempted.

Daniel Levy took has taken loads of stick for his refusal to budge on a new contract for Alderweireld, but it is actually Sanchez that Pochettino should be building his defence around.

So, Tottenham fans, how impressed were you by Sanchez’s performance on Wednesday? Is he the future of your defence? Let us know your thoughts by voting in the poll below….