The opposition
Tottenham Hotspur, often known by their nickname ‘Spurs’, won the FA Cup for the first time in 1900/01, secured their maiden league title in 1950/51 and then did the double in 1961.
In 1963 they became the first English club to win a European trophy by claiming the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup. That was the first of Tottenham’s three continental successes to date; they also won the UEFA Cup in 1972 and 1984. However, the last time the club won a trophy was back in 2007/08 when they lifted the League Cup.
The stadium
The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium houses 62,850 fans and is known as ‘The Lane’ by fans.
Tactics and standings
Coach Ange Postecoglou sets his team up in a 4-3-3 formation. At the weekend they beat bottom club Southampton 3-1, a result which meant the latter became the first team relegated from the Premier League this season. It was Spurs’ 11thleague win of 2024/25, leaving them 14th in the domestic table, following a further four draws and 16 defeats.
Path to the quarter-finals
Tottenham finished the league phase in fourth place with 17 points, one point and one place higher than Eintracht, and thereby clinched automatic qualification to the last 16.
Just like the Eagles, Postecoglou’s side faced Dutch opposition in that round. Eredivisie outfit AZ Alkmaar won the first leg at home 1-0, but Tottenham turned the tables in the return fixture in England with a 3-1 triumph.
Facts and figures
Eintracht are in a Europa League quarter-final for the third time. They did not win the first leg on either of the previous occasions but nevertheless made it through to the last four each time, overcoming SL Benfica in 2018/19 and Barcelona in 2021/22.
The Eagles have so far recorded seven victories in Europe this season. The only time they have won more frequently on the continent was in 2018/19 with nine.
Hugo Ekitiké has been directly involved in six goals across his 10 Europa League appearances this term (three scored, three assists), all of which have come on home turf.
Familiar faces
Wilson Odobert is a team-mate of Ekitiké’s in France’s U21 side, and even set up two of the Eintracht forward’s three goals in a recent 5-3 victory over England.
