Despite enduring an immensely underwhelming 2024/25 campaign to press, Tottenham are still firmly among the favourites to win this season’s UEFA Europa League. It remains Ange Postecoglou’s last chance to preserve his impressive trophy record, having lifted at least one piece of silverware in his second season with every previous club he’s managed. However, the Aussie will need to find a way to overcome a talented Eintracht Frankfurt side.
The Eagles easily dispatched Dutch giants Ajax in the previous round, and currently occupy third position in the Bundesliga table. The club’s 125th season in existence, Frankfurt will be desperate to keep the momentum going on both domestic and continental fronts.
TNT Sports are broadcasting live coverage of the keenly-anticipated clash on Thursday night, and their cameras will also be at the Deutsche Bank Park for the return leg a week later.
Tottenham Hotspur v Eintracht Frankfurt – key information
Date: Thursday 10th April
Kick-off time: 8.00pm BST
Venue: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Referee: Szymon Marciniak
TV channels: TNT Sports 3 and Ultimate
Odds: Spurs: 3/4, Draw: 3/1, Eintracht Frankfurt: 31/10
Tottenham Hotspur v Eintracht Frankfurt – team news
Both teams have suffered a considerable set of injury setbacks this term, with a host of key players missing action for extended periods. However, there are only a limited number of absences ahead of this week’s tie.
The Germans had a particularly positive winter transfer window, recruiting agile centre-forward Elye Wahi and Belgian pair Arthur Theate and Michy Batshuayi. Although Spurs also drafted in several new faces, two of their four mid-season arrivals – Austrian international Kevin Danso and skilful forward Mathys Tel – were signed on loan deals.
Tottenham Hotspur team news
Although Postecoglou has recently watched his squad slowly return to some sense of normality following a remarkable spate of injuries, the former Celtic boss is still without several first-team stars.
Dejan Kulusevski remains out with a foot issue, having last played in the narrow home defeat to Manchester City back in late February. The Swedish international adds a genuine cutting edge to Spurs’ frontline, a quality that has been in short supply in recent weeks. Fellow attacker Richarlison is expected to make an imminent return, having featured as an unused substitute in Sunday’s victory over relegated Southampton.
Although defensive duo Kevin Danso and Radu Drăgușin are unavailable, Postecoglou suggested Micky van de Ven and Destiny Udogie have now returned to full fitness and should therefore be involved on Thursday evening. Lens loanee Danso incurred a hamstring pull during the Lilywhites 2-2 draw with Bournemouth at the beginning of last month, while Radu Drăgușin will miss the remainder of the campaign after undergoing knee surgery.
Having bagged a brace at the weekend, Brennan Johnson will expect to feature from the start. The Welsh international netted in three of Spurs opening five European fixtures this term, and provides a much-needed goal threat as Dominic Solanke continues to misfire. Following his return from injury in early March, the former Bournemouth frontman is yet to find his way onto the scoresheet. Nevertheless, Solanke did manage to register two assists against AZ Alkmaar in the previous round.
Despite registering his second goal for Spurs at the weekend, Bayern Munich loanee Mathys Tel has been in and out of Postecoglou’s starting eleven since his arrival. The young Frenchman has already proven his European pedigree, having recorded two goals for the Bavarians during last season’s UEFA Champions League campaign.
Tottenham Hotspur predicted lineup v Eintracht Frankfurt (4-3-3)
Coach: Ange Postecoglou
Guglielmo Vicario (GK), Pedro Porro, Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Destiny Udogie, Lucas Bergvall, Rodrigo Bentancur, James Maddison, Son Heung-min, Dominic Solanke, Brennan Johnson
Eintracht Frankfurt team news
There are question marks over the fitness of several Eintracht Frankfurt first-teamers, with a flood of short-term injuries causing Dino Toppmöller some selection headaches.
Creative duo Can Uzun and Ansgar Knauff are in contention after missing Saturday’s disappointing loss to Werder Bremen, but may not be involved from the start. An ongoing knee problem keeps Elye Wahi out of the picture, although the French marksman hopes to return before the end of the season. Wahi joined Frankfurt from Ligue 1 outfit Marseille for a bumper fee in January, but has been unavailable since early March.
The Eagles are also without captain and first-choice number one Kevin Trapp, as the experienced German continues to recover from a serious shin injury. Trapp hasn’t featured since Frankfurt’s 2-1 home defeat to Union Berlin, with backup ‘keeper Kauã Santos deputising between the sticks. Having only managed to keep two clean sheets in his 17 appearances this season, Spurs may look to put some pressure on the former Brazilian Under-20 international stopper early on.
Although approaching the latter stages of his rehabilitation, it appears veteran full-back Timothy Chandler won’t be ready to face Tottenham in either London or Frankfurt. Éric Junior Dina Ebimbe is currently suffering from stomach flu, but was already axed from Eintracht’s European squad ahead of the knockout stages.
Highly-rated Swedish playmaker Hugo Larsson will likely make his ninth UEFA Europa League start of the season, having recorded three goals in the competition to date. Although Eintracht lost the attacking prowess of Omar Marmoush in the winter transfer window, Hugo Ekitike has proved more than an able replacement for the Egyptian. Currently being monitored by a number of elite clubs, the in-demand striker has netted 19 times in all competitions this season.
Eintracht Frankfurt predicted line-up v Tottenham Hotspur (4-2-3-1)
Coach: Dino Toppmöller
Kauã Santos (GK), Rasmus Kristensen, Robin Koch, Arthur Theate, Nathaniel Brown, Ellyes Skhiri, Tuta, Jean-Mattéo Bahoya, Hugo Larsson, Mario Götze, Hugo Ekitike
Where to watch on TV or live stream?
TNT Sports will show the match live on TNT Sports 3, with upgraded subscribers able to catch the action in 4k resolution on TNT Ultimate. As the London-based media outlet holds exclusive broadcasting rights for the UEFA Europa League in the United Kingdom, all of Spurs’ remaining fixtures in the competition will be available via one of TNT Sport’s dedicated channels.
H2: Head-to-Head record
Postecoglou's men head into Thursday’s encounter in positive spirits, having secured a comfortable league win over rock-bottom Southampton on Sunday afternoon. However, Spurs lost both of their ensuing fixtures following the second leg of last month’s Round of 16 contest with AZ Alkmaar, succumbing to Fulham and Chelsea in back-to-back London derbies.
After a worrying run of three straight Bundesliga defeats, Frankfurt overcame VfL Bochum and Stuttgart to recover their bid for a place in next season’s UEFA Champions League. A surprising 2-0 loss at mid-table Werder Bremen may have slightly dampened spirits, but the Eagles will still be in confident mood ahead of Thursday’s tie. Eintracht have delivered a sequence of impressive performances in Europe this term, winning five of eight league phase fixtures before swatting aside Ajax in the last sixteen.
Nevertheless, Tottenham have arguably reserved their best form for the European stage. Aside from a slender defeat in the cauldron of Galatasaray’s Ali Sami Yen Stadium, the north Londoners navigated the group phase with consummate ease, finishing one point ahead of Thursday’s opponents. Although last month’s meetings with AZ Alkmaar didn’t exactly go according to plan, Spurs showed plenty of character to progress to the last eight of the competition.
The two teams have met on four previous occasions, with the most recent clashes coming during the 2022/23 campaign. After battling to a stalemate in western Germany, Spurs edged out Frankfurt in a five-goal thriller on English soil. Elusive forward Son Heung-min struck twice for the Lilywhites that evening, while Eintracht’s goalscorers – Daichi Kamada and Faride Alidou – have since left the club. Both teams would occupy the top two places in UEFA Champions League Group D come the conclusion of the opening stage.
Spurs would also emerge triumphant in the only previous duel between Thursday’s opponents, beating Frankfurt by an aggregate scoreline of 3-2 in a two-legged tie. Incidentally, this fixture also took place at the quarter-final stage of Europe’s secondary club competition, but came during the UEFA Cup era in 1982.
Odds for Tottenham Hotspur v Eintracht Frankfurt
Only Galatasaray registered more goals during the league phase than Tottenham, while Eintracht Frankfurt found the net in all but one of their opening eight fixtures. In addition to having two of the worst defensive records out of the UEFA Europa League table’s top eight clubs, both Spurs and the Eagles have leaked plenty in domestic competition. Therefore, we expect plenty of attacking action on Thursday night.
The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has been somewhat of a fortress in Europe this term, with the Lilywhites only failing to win on one occasion. However, as Frankfurt boast an identical home record and have suffered fewer defeats on the road than Spurs, Dino Toppmöller will believe he can secure a positive result in both England and Germany. Either way, it’s highly unlikely that the winner of the tie will be determined in the first leg.
The North Londoners haven’t conceded first on home soil in the UEFA Europa League this season, while Eintracht Frankfurt usually score before the interval on their travels. Whoever gains the early initiative may secure a critical advantage in the tie…..
Betting Tips:
BTTS (Both Teams to Score) – Yes: 4/7
Hugo Ekitike to score (anytime): 21/10