Gallas urges Tottenham to finish off Lyon tie

William Gallas insists Tottenham will not be playing for a 0-0 draw in the return leg of their Europa League tie against Lyon this week.

Spurs secured a narrow advantage in the first leg at White Hart Lane, with two sublime free-kicks from Gareth Bale ensuring Andre VIllas-Boas' side claimed a valuable 2-1 win.

A 0-0 draw would be enough for Tottenham to progress to the last-16 at Lyon's expense, however a 1-0 victory for the French side would put them through on away goals.

With such a tight margin for error, Gallas says Spurs would be foolish to try and play out a 0-0 draw at the Stade Gerland.

"If we put them under pressure straight away they will be wary because if they concede a goal, they will be in trouble," he told reporters.

“We don’t have to try to come back to London with a 0-0 scoreline. We have to play our game, the way we play all the time and then I think then we can qualify,” said Gallas.

"If they score and we then fail to score, we’ll be out."

Hugo Lloris missed out on playing against his former side in the first leg, with Brad Friedel preferred in goal instead by Villas-Boas.

The Frenchman, who completed a £12 million move to Spurs in the summer, says that such is the quality of both sides that the fixture should be being played in the Champions League rather than the Europa League.

The France captain told the Evening Standard: “It could almost be a Champions League game between two top sides in Europe.

“For us, it’s a good test to play against a good team, we have a chance and we have to take it.

“Many players left Lyon in the last transfer window and the situation at the club isn’t easy at the moment but they can trust in their academy and still have great players like Lisandro Lopez and Bafetimbi Gomis.”