Tottenham failing to reach the Champions League in the Round of 16 would be a ‘failure’ as Tim Sherwood jokes players will need headache tablets for Antonio Conte’s bus trip

Tim Sherwood thinks Tottenham will have ‘failed’ if they don’t reach the Champions League last 16.

Spurs travel to Marseille for their final group stage game with one of the four teams still able to qualify.

Antonio Conte’s side are masters of their own destiny, needing just one point to qualify while a victory will put them top of the group.

Former Spurs manager Sherwood told talkSPORT Breakfast: “It’s going to be tough. It’s a cup final. It comes down to this.

“If I were to manage a team I would want to be in the Tottenham dressing room but I would also want them to play on the front foot from the start.

“If they start giving a goal start like they have recently because they play so defensively, then they could come unstuck.

“They have to give the ball early to Heung-min Son and Harry Kane and they have to use their attacking players to dominate Marseille.

“They are the most competitive group in the Champions League and it would be a failure if they did not qualify for the knockout stages.”

Conte will not be allowed on the touchline after his red card following their disallowed winner against Sporting Lisbon.

Sherwood described how difficult it is to watch the game from the stands.

He said: “I lasted about five minutes in the stands, it’s impossible. You go there with good intentions and you think you can get a better view of the game, but it’s very difficult.

“On the touchline it’s all very fast and it’s hard to see sometimes and you have a coach sitting up there for you.

“Antonio Conte jumps normally and it breathes into his players. Sometimes it can be good and sometimes it can get anxious.

“You would like him to be on the touchline with you, he knows how to win and there is nothing bigger this season than this game.”

Instead, Conte will travel with the players on the bus to the game, which he usually doesn’t do, and Sherwood joked that the players might need to prepare for the trip.

Asked what Conte is likely to tell his players on the bus ride to the stadium, he said: “Just individual stuff and whatever he thinks is needed for tonight’s game.

“The boys will have to take the headache tablets as it will be in their ear holes on the way, they will probably have some traffic there too.

“It’s very intense and there’s nothing to complain about. He wants to do his job and once they cross that line, it’s up to them.

“He just wants to do everything he can to prepare them for this game.”