Rodrigo Bentancur has endeared himself to the Tottenham fans since his arrival from Juventus in January.

The midfielder has been in top form during the 2022-23 campaign and his performances have been a key reason for Spurs' decent start to the season.

In a side that has stuttered in recent weeks, Bentancur has not let his levels drop and if Antonio Conte's men are to progress to the Champions League last 16, the Uruguayan will have to be at the top of his game once again.

Ahead of the vital clash against Sporting tonight, we turn the spotlight on the 25-year-old.

A calm head

Whether he is playing in a 3-5-2 or a 3-4-3, Bentancur is subject to a high press in almost every match he plays for Spurs.

We have seen it in the recent defeats to Manchester United and Newcastle — the opposition attempt to suffocate the middle of the park and force Conte's side to play out via their wing-backs. 

One superb aspect of Bentancur's game is his ability to withstand pressure and turn out of trouble.

Often he invites a press from his opponent, before changing his direction of play at the last minute, or sliding the ball through a small gap.

This is one of the reasons why the 51-cap international has created eight chances this season — his composure in the middle of the park can often catch players out if they press too high.

He averages around 66 touches per 90 minutes in the Premier League, demonstrating his team-mates' willingness to trust him with the ball.

No pushover

Although it seems that a lot of the dirty work is done by his midfield partner Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Bentancur's defensive attributes are just as impressive as his attacking talents.

The former Juve man averages 2.78 tackles per 90 and completes 1.39 interceptions per game.

Perhaps what is more inspiring is his reading of different situations — Spurs' No30 wins possession an average of seven times per 90, with over half of these coming in the middle third of the pitch.

He may not be the most physical player, but Bentancur's ability to read a player's pass is vital to Conte's style of play.

The 6ft 2in maestro leads the charts for tackles won and interceptions per game for Spurs this season — his importance must not be underestimated.

Bentancur's performance against Newcastle summarised his excellent start to the season — no player made more tackles (six), completed as many successful dribbles (four) or won as many duels (12) as the South American.

Ignored no more

Bentancur was a somewhat underappreciated cog in Turin, in a team that won the Serie A title in three of his five seasons at the Allianz Arena.

He featured regularly for the Old Lady, racking up 151 appearances.

However, many of these outings were from the bench and his desire to become a regular starter elsewhere prompted his move away.

Now, Bentancur is a vital component in Conte's system and has missed just one league game in the current campaign, due to a head injury.

Feeling valued is something that has helped the Boca Juniors academy graduate excel in a new culture, taking his game to a level he had not found in a black and white shirt.

Earlier in the year, he expressed his delight, saying: "[I’m] very happy and getting minutes.

"I’m very happy to play for Tottenham in that league and to be taking this opportunity. [It] is going to help me a lot to keep improving."

Stepping up to the challenge

When a player arrives to a new league, in a new country, at a new club, it can take a while to adapt.

However, Bentancur has been a rare exception to this rule and has hit the ground running at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Speaking on his move recently, he said: "The truth is I was able to adapt in an excellent manner from the moment I arrived.

"My team-mates welcomed me in an extraordinary way and the club has been incredible.

"I think Antonio trusting me and starting me in games so soon after I arrived helped me adapt very quickly. Minutes on the pitch are the best way to adapt and that has been fundamental for me."

Helping Spurs claim three points to book their spot in the Champions League knockout stage would be another important step forward for their star talent.