Champions League humiliation as Freddie Potts faces Todibo in West Ham reunion

Freddie Potts triumphed over former West Ham United teammate Jean-Clair Todibo in the Champions League on Wednesday night.

Or, more accurately, Club Brugge triumphed over Lens. A 3-0 scoreline in Belgium means Freddie Potts’ new employers are the tasty filling in a Manchester City/Sporting Lisbon sandwich. Very much in contention for a place in the knock-out rounds post-Christmas.

Wednesday’s victory was certainly a lot more straightforward than the one of eight days earlier. Potts produced a bonafide Champions League midfield masterclass as Club Brugge stunned Inter Milan, winning by the odd goal in seven at the San Siro.

Jean-Clair Todibo’s Lens provided a much simpler route to three more invaluable points. And if Potts has made a flying start to life in Belgium – ten wins in 12 games across league and cup – the same cannot be said of Todibo across the Channel.

Only a few days ago, the deal which brought Todibo back to France was labelled a ‘complete disaster’. The reporters in Pas-de-Calais could be forgiven for copying and pasting that two-word annihilation in their stinging post-match reports from the Jan Breydel Stadium.

Introduced at half-time for just his third appearance of an injury-hit loan spell, Todibo was powerless to prevent Joaquin Seys doubling the lead before one-time West Ham target Carlos Forbes wrapped up an emphatic 3-0 home win.

As for Potts, there were not so many crunching tackles this time around. A more uneventful night’s work, compared to when Potts stood head and shoulders above Nicolo Barella and Hakan Calhanoglu at the home of Jose Mourinho’s old treble-winners.

But completing 72 out of 78 attempted passes and winning exactly half of his duels, Potts was solid, stable, and a reliable screen in front of the back four.

“Seems to be feeling a bit more comfortable in Blauw-Zwart’s midfield week after week,” Voetbal Primeur wrote at full-time. “Didn’t play a match that will linger for long, but hardly made any mistakes either. Kept it simple, did his job, and helped provide the necessary balance.”

The oft sharp-tongued French press, though, were unsurprisingly less complimentary about Potts’ old London Stadium teammate.

“Jean-Clair Todibo immediately struggled, being caught out for [the second Club Brugge goal for Joaquin] Seys,” Maxifoot spat, handing the one-time Barcelona man [yes, you’d forgotten he played for them didn’t you?] a miserable 3/10.

“Sometimes late to react to the opposition’s movements, the former FC Barcelona talent notably had difficulty keeping up with Forbs’ pace. Unsurprisingly, he was caught out for the Portuguese player’s goal.”