Hugo Lloris' penalty heroics could not rescue Tottenham's Champions League campaign as Mauricio Pochettino's men slipped to a 2-1 defeat against Monaco.
The result means Spurs cannot progress from Group E and need a point against CSKA Moscow at Wembley next month to finish third.
Pochettino's side still have Europa League football to play for, but the fine Premier League form of Liverpool and Chelsea - two sides playing without the added stress of Europa League football - means a lighter fixture list may be tempting for the Spurs coach.
Uefa's recent rule change which sees the Europa League winners automatically qualify for the Champions League has added a real incentive to go all the way in the competition.
However, with Jose Mourinho struggling to juggle Manchester United's busy continental calendar with domestic commitments, Spurs may be better off in the title race by finishing fourth in Group E.
After all, the pressure and exertions of a busy 2015/16 season eventually told on Spurs as they ran out of steam in attempting to catch eventual champions Leicester.
Monaco vs Tottenham: In Pictures
A defeat to CSKA Moscow at Wembley would see the Russian side leapfrog Spurs in the group, though Pochettino may also see the Europa League as valuable experience for a young squad with plenty of competition for starting spots all over the field.
