And so the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium - this great temple of sport, whose supporters came all in white on Sunday and made it look like a sanctuary for 50,000 nervous angels - will not play host to Lincoln City, Bolton Wanderers or next season.
Roberto de Zerbi, one of the finest coaches of the new generation, will not be taking charge of a side in the second tier of the English league. Nor will his players have to confront the reality that most of them are not nearly as gifted as they think they are.