The former Barcelona midfielder had spent most of previous day in meetings with club officials
Spurs were facing a much-changed Barca side who had already qualified as Group B winners and started without talisman Lionel Messi but they fell behind to an astonishing run and strike from Ousmane Dembele in the seventh minute.
Danny Rose spurned a glorious chance to give Spurs the win but they squeezed through to the knockout stages thanks to Inter Milan drawing 1-1 at home to already-eliminated PSV Eindhoven.
It meant both teams finished with eight points but Spurs qualified due to their superior head-to-head record.