By Ian King
14th in England up in opposition to third in Germany
They stuttered alongside the best way and so they have been taking part in arguably the worst crew within the historical past of high flight English soccer, however Tottenham Hotspur WON A FOOTBALL MATCH in opposition to Southampton final weekend. It was solely their fifth league win from their final 19, going again to November. After elimination from each home cups within the house of 5 January days and with them nonetheless 14th within the Premier League, the one real looking likelihood of Ange Postecoglou nonetheless being with the membership by the summer season would appear to be profitable this competitors, which might put them into subsequent season’s Champions League. No strain, Ange. However then, Eintracht Frankfurt haven’t been spectacular just lately both. They’ve misplaced 4 of their final six Bundesliga matches, although they do stay third, behind Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen.
Europa League pedigree
These two have met in European competitors twice earlier than. In 1981/82, Spurs received 3-2 on combination within the Third Spherical of the European Cup Winners Cup, whereas additionally they met within the 2021/22 Champions League, drawing 0-0 in Frankfurt earlier than Spurs received the return match 3-2 at The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. These two have additionally every received this competitors twice earlier than; Spurs in 1972 and 1984, and Eintracht Frankfurt in 1980 and as just lately as 2022, after they beat Rangers within the ultimate.
Key gamers
This hasn’t been an particularly good season for a lot of Spurs gamers, however one who’s coming of age is Brennan Johnson, who’s scored 16 this season in all competitions. He’s now their high scorer in each the Premier League and the Europa League.
The primary goalscoring menace for Eintracht Frankfurt is Hugo Ekitike, who signed on mortgage from PSG final season earlier than making his switch everlasting final summer season. He’s scored 19 in 40 in all competitions thus far this season.
Workforce Information
Spurs stay with out Radu Drăgușin, Dejan Kulusevski and Kevin Danso. Drăgușin shall be lacking for the rest of the season, and whereas Kulusevski and Danso might return for the second leg in Frankfurt subsequent week, although it’s contact and go and so they might be held again for the next weekend’s match in opposition to Nottingham Forest. Richarlison is known to be near returning, however this hasn’t been confirmed but.
Eintracht Frankfurt have a reasonably substantial damage checklist in the intervening time, however their massive present concern would be the absence of skilled goalkeeper Kevin Trapp. He ought to be out there for the second leg, however his expertise – he has 9 caps for the Germany nationwide crew – will certainly be missed.
Prediction
It’s Spurs, so there’s at all times going to be some extent of fatalism within the air, however Eintracht Frankfurt haven’t been in stellar type themselves of late and have been eradicated within the first knockout stage of final 12 months’s Europa Convention League. According to their earlier European conferences, I’ll go massive on this one with a 3-2 win for Spurs, establishing a good second leg in Germany subsequent week.
(Cowl picture from IMAGO)
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