Home SPORTS Spurs Face Villarreal in Champions League Opener: Thomas Frank's Side Aims to Rewrite History

Spurs Face Villarreal in Champions League Opener: Thomas Frank's Side Aims to Rewrite History

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Tottenham vs Villarreal
Tottenham vs Villarreal Champions League Kickoff


Thomas Frank's Spurs side looks to overcome slow start curse against Villarreal. Can Spurs overcome slow start curse against Villarreal? Read match preview and team updates.


“I know it will be special when we have that Champions League anthem playing...”



Tottenham Hotspur is set to kick off their Champions League campaign against Villarreal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Thomas Frank, the team's manager, is relishing this opportunity, marking his first-ever Champions League tie. Despite the big stage, Frank maintains a focused approach, stating, “It's business as usual. When we all go out onto the pitch tomorrow, then it'll be special.”


Frank's side has had a strong start to the season, winning three of their four Premier League matches, which bodes well for their European endeavors. However, Tottenham's record against Spanish opponents isn't impressive, with only one win in their last 13 matches. Villarreal, on the other hand, has made a solid start to their campaign, sitting fourth in La Liga. Frank has expressed huge respect for Villarreal's coach Marcelino and his team's structured approach.


Key Players to Watch:

Randal Kolo Muani: The France international is expected to make his debut for Tottenham against Villarreal. Frank has hinted that Kolo Muani is ready to play, but might not start at full intensity.

Cristian Romero: The Tottenham captain has expressed his satisfaction with the team's progress under Frank, emphasizing the importance of focus and continuous improvement.

Dominic Solanke: Unfortunately, Solanke won't be part of the action due to an ankle injury.



The match promises to be an exciting encounter, with both teams looking to make a strong statement in the Champions League. Kickoff is scheduled for 8 pm UK time.




Thomas Frank's European Record and Villarreal's Challenge

Thomas Frank's previous experience in European football with Brondby was marked by modest results, with three wins, three losses, and four draws in 10 Europa League matches. This record may weigh on his mind as he navigates Tottenham's Champions League campaign. Despite this, Frank has shown promise in his early days at Tottenham, impressing with tactical decisions like making Cristian Romero captain and implementing a successful back-three formation against PSG in the Super Cup final.


History Against English Sides

Villarreal faces a daunting task, given their history against English teams in the Champions League. The Spanish side has yet to secure a win in 14 matches, settling for six draws and eight losses. This trend may give Tottenham hope, but Frank is focused on the present, emphasizing the importance of adapting to different opponents and situations. His team's performance against Villarreal will be a telling test of their progress under his leadership.


Villarreal has struggled against English teams in the Champions League, losing their last seven fixtures, with 57% of those losses coming against Premier League opponents. However, they have a perfect record in opening matches against English sides, having drawn both encounters 0-0 against Manchester United in the 2005/06 and 2008/09 seasons.


This season marks Villarreal's return to the Champions League after a few years' absence, with their last appearance being in 2021/22 when they reached the semi-finals. They became the seventh Spanish top-flight side to achieve this feat, following Barcelona, Valencia, Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid, Deportivo La Coruna, and Real Sociedad. Villarreal's previous Champions League campaign ended with a loss to Liverpool in the semi-finals, with a 2-3 aggregate score.



Tottenham's Return to Champions League

Tottenham is set to kick off their 2025/26 Champions League campaign against Villarreal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, marking their first participation in the competition since the 2022/23 season. The team will be without the goal-scoring prowess of Son Heung-min and Harry Kane, who collectively scored 37 UCL goals for Spurs. Brennan Johnson, Dominic Solanke, and Richarlison will likely lead the charge in creating new Tottenham history.


New Era, New Challenges

Thomas Frank's side has had a promising start to the season, securing three wins in four Premier League matches. However, they'll face a tough test against Villarreal, who have a strong record against English teams in the Champions League. The Spanish side has yet to win against English opponents in 14 matches, with six draws and eight losses. Despite this, Tottenham's home record in the Champions League has been relatively strong, with two wins in seven opening matches.


Randal Kolo Muani stands out as the only current Tottenham player with more than one Champions League goal, having scored two goals in the competition so far. This highlights the team's challenge in the tournament. Kolo Muani's experience in the Champions League could be a valuable asset for Tottenham, given his history with Eintracht Frankfurt, Paris Saint-Germain, and Juventus in the competition.


Kolo Muani is poised to make history by becoming the first player to feature in the Champions League with four different teams in four consecutive seasons. If he can regain his form from earlier in his career, he's likely to play a significant role in Tottenham's Champions League campaign. In the 2023-2024 season, Kolo Muani scored one goal in 10 Champions League appearances for Paris Saint-Germain. This season, he has played 77 minutes in two Champions League matches.


New signing Xavi Simons made a promising debut against West Ham, and his performance alongside Mo Kudus could be a good omen for the match against Villarreal. Simons set up Pape Matar Sarr's opening goal and played until being replaced by Richarlison late in the game. Given his impressive display, Simons might start on the left wing, with Kudus on the right.


Thomas Frank will face challenges in selecting his lineup due to several key players being sidelined. Dominic Solanke remains a doubt due to an ankle injury, while James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, and Radu Dragusin are out with knee injuries. Yves Bissouma is also unavailable, with an expected return around the end of the month. Given these absences, Frank might rely on Richarlison and Randal Kolo Muani, who could make his debut, in the attacking lineup.



Tottenham's Slow Start in the Champions League

Tottenham has struggled with slow starts in the Champions League, winning only two out of seven opening games. Their record in the competition's opening fixtures is two wins, two draws, and three losses. Both of their wins were at home in North London, with notable victories against Borussia Dortmund in the 2017/18 season, winning 3-1, and against Marseille in the 2022/23 season, winning 2-0.


Tottenham has struggled against Spanish teams, winning only one of their last 13 matches, with five draws and seven losses. This upcoming match presents an opportunity for Spurs to turn their fortunes around. Villarreal's Juan Foyth, who once represented Tottenham as the youngest player in a Champions League match against APOEL in 2019, will return to North London, adding an interesting dynamic to the game.


Villarreal will be without several key players, including Gerard Moreno, Logan Costa, Willy Kambwala, and Pau Cabanes, who are all dealing with injuries. Meanwhile, Spurs will also be missing some crucial players, such as James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, Radu Dragusin, and Dominic Solanke, who are injured, while Yves Bissouma's participation is uncertain due to fitness concerns.


Reversing History in the Champions League

Villarreal needs to defy recent Champions League history against English teams, and Georgian striker Georges Mikautadze could play a crucial role. Mikautadze has an impressive record in major European competitions, scoring seven goals in eight starts, with four goals and three assists for Lyon in the Europa League last season. His form suggests he will be a key player for Villarreal in this match.


A full-house crowd is expected at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and Thomas Frank is aware of the significance of the occasion. Frank will look to his team to capitalize on their home advantage and make a strong start to the Champions League campaign.


“Obviously, it's a big thing. I am hugely looking forward to it,” he said in his pre-match press conference. “I know it will be special when we have that Champions League anthem playing. That will be the moment. In front of our fantastic fans, it is a European night and we know they will be absolutely on it. It will be so special.”







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