Tottenham Hotspur are preparing to welcome Eintracht Frankfurt on Thursday, in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final. With that in mind, they’ll be looking to overturn a bleak statistic, having won just one of their last 13 major European quarter-final ties. The club, which has experienced significant injury challenges this season, aims to build on a recent victory over Southampton — their first win in five Premier League outings — as they strive to end a 17-year trophy drought.
Tottenham’s injury concerns have eased dramatically, though they do still have a few out. Lynchpins Dejan Kulusevski and Kevin Danso won’t play, as both are out with their injuries. That makes this match against Eintracht Frankfurt extremely important for Spurs. They have come out victorious in both of their prior home matches against the German side. The 2022 Europa League winners, Eintracht Frankfurt, will provide a stiff challenge. After the dismal showing away from home, currently the third-worst in the league, Tottenham will be eager to rectify its errant form.
Now sitting 14th in the Premier League table, Tottenham had damage their league standing and lost 16 league matches this season. Constant negative public relations had created an incredible burden on the team. Their head coach, Ange Postecoglou, has been particularly annoyed at the narrative around their performances.
“Even the good stuff we may do is turned into ‘glass half-empty’ rhetoric,” – Ange Postecoglou
Postecoglou emphasized that the focus must remain on their playing principles and aspirations for success. He piped in this insight about why his players have so desperately wanted to bring glory back to the club. He made the point that outside opinions can’t dampen their determination.
“That can’t be a driver. The lads are keen to bring success to the club, keeping driving the principles of this journey in terms of playing our football,” – Ange Postecoglou
And the pressure of this wasn’t lost on their head coach who recognized the importance of their upcoming clash with Eintracht Frankfurt. He’s confident that they are in the right place to start changing what has been a pretty disappointing showing on the year so far.
“We’ve got ourselves into a position where we have an opportunity to progress to the final stages. We have to focus on having a strong home performance,” – Ange Postecoglou
As Tottenham approaches this critical match, statistics suggest they have a 17 percent chance of winning the Europa League, according to Opta. Even still, Postecoglou is optimistic that his side can step up and show those who doubt them just what they’re capable of.
“Hopefully we worked our way into a position where we can make an impact on a disappointing season. I don’t think I can win the argument of convincing people. The general sentiment of people is ‘even if I win [the Europa League] I’m gone anyway,’” – Ange Postecoglou
The second leg of the quarter-final will take place in Germany on April 17. It’s very important that Tottenham get a good result at home first. Fans and analysts continue to prepare for this huge matchup. They will be just as eager to see if Tottenham can turn their luck around and ultimately bring an end to their 62-year trophy drought.
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