Tottenham Hotspur marked their return to the Champions League with a narrow 1-0 victory over Villarreal, a match that saw former Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey feature for the Spanish side amidst serious legal proceedings. The game itself was overshadowed by both an early howler from the Villarreal goalkeeper and the off-field issues surrounding Partey.

Spurs' return to Europe's elite competition after a 932-day absence was almost immediately celebrated when, in the fourth minute, Villarreal goalkeeper Luiz Junior made a terrible error. He fumbled Lucas Bergvall's cross, allowing the ball to spill over the line in agonizingly slow fashion. The comical own goal proved to be the only goal of the match, securing a win for the North London side.

While Tottenham celebrated their victory, the spotlight soon shifted to Thomas Partey. The former Arsenal player, now with Villarreal, was introduced as a substitute with just 12 minutes remaining in the match. His appearance was met with loud boos from the Tottenham crowd. This was due to the fact that he is facing serious charges. Partey is due back in court on Wednesday morning to face these charges.

Villarreal coach Marcelino had stated his belief that Partey was mentally and technically prepared to play, and Partey’s lawyer has asserted his denial of all charges and his eagerness to clear his name. The police investigation into the alleged offenses began in February 2022.

Despite the off-field distractions, the match continued, with Tottenham holding onto their early lead. However, the home side's performance was far from convincing, registering only one shot on target despite playing in front of a crowd of 54,755. Tottenham's manager, Frank, making his Champions League debut, could barely watch before realizing his team had scored. In the end, Partey had little impact on the match, as Tottenham secured their fourth victory under Frank.