Tottenham Faces Pressure to Win Europa League Amid Manager’s Criticism

LONDON, England — Tottenham Hotspur is gearing up for a crucial Europa League quarterfinal match against Eintracht Frankfurt on Thursday, needing a solid performance to restore confidence amid a challenging season under head coach Ange Postecoglou.

Currently languishing in 15th place in the Premier League, Spurs have suffered 17 losses this season, including a disappointing 4-2 defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers last weekend. With only 37 points, the Europa League has emerged as their best chance to end a 17-year trophy drought and save Postecoglou’s job.

“It hasn’t been our best season. The fans want us to play better, and do better in the games we lost, but when the whole team is strong, we can achieve some beautiful things—hopefully we can show that to everyone who doubts us,” said Tottenham defender Micky van de Ven in a news conference on Wednesday.

The tie against Frankfurt is finely balanced at 1-1 after the first leg, where Tottenham’s Pedro Porro equalized following Hugo Ekitike’s opener. To progress to the next round, Spurs must produce a decisive performance at Deutsche Bank Park.

Postecoglou faces immense pressure as calls for his dismissal grow louder, but he stated he remains focused solely on the upcoming match. “I don’t define my career by what people think about me. I don’t think that way. All I’m thinking is we’ve got a great opportunity, and I’m not going to let that slip by without fighting tooth and nail, irrespective of my position,” he said.

However, Tottenham will be without their captain, Son Heung-min, for the second leg due to a foot injury that has sidelined him from the squad. “Sonny didn’t travel. He has been battling with a foot problem. It’s got too painful so we made a decision to leave him at home,” Postecoglou confirmed. His absence poses a significant challenge for Spurs, as they aim to overcome Frankfurt.

Van de Ven stressed the need to contain Ekitike, who has been Frankfurt’s standout threat. “He’s a really good player and scored a really good goal against us. You can see his qualities. Tomorrow, for me and the person playing next to me, it’s our job to eliminate him from the game,” he said.

Looking to inject energy back into their season, Spurs are determined to capture the Europa League trophy, their only remaining chance at silverware this year. “We want to achieve something this season, and this is the best way to do it,” Van de Ven added.

Tottenham has not reached a major European semi-final since the 2018-19 Champions League run and has only progressed from one of their last ten knockout stage ties after losing the first leg at home. This context amplifies the current stakes as they head into Thursday’s match.

As they prepare for this crucial encounter, Spurs are hoping to end their run of poor performances and deliver a strong showing that earns them a spot in the next round of the Europa League.