The Independent

Tottenham Hotspur boss Thomas Frank will allow himself "two minutes" to soak up his maiden fixture in the Champions League before he shifts focus to a first win in the competition.

Tuesday's visit of Villarreal will be a debut match in Europe's elite tournament for the 51-year-old and add another notable honour in an impressive career.

Frank honed his skills as a PE teacher in his native Denmark before roles in the Danish national team youth set-up, Brondby and Brentford earned him an opportunity at Spurs this summer.

Ahead of his Champions League bow, Frank admitted: "Obviously it's a big thing. I am hugely looking forward to it.

"I know it will be special when we have that Champions League anthem playing. That will be the moment.

"Now is preparation, a few cameras, business as usual but when we walk out onto the pitch tomorrow that will be very special.

"In many ways you would say we played with Brentford in the Championship at Griffin Park, a small, compact stadium and tomorrow we are playing in one of the best stadiums in the world - maybe the best.

"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, so yeah really looking forward to the first two minutes, the Champions League anthem and then it's focus on the game."

Frank referenced Barcelona's triumph over Sampdoria at Wembley in the 1992 European Cup final - the last year before it was revamped as the Champions League - as a standout memory of the competition.

He declined to set big goals for his "fantastic squad" but will aim to continue his excellent start - albeit will remain without forward Dominic Solanke (ankle) after he was absent from Monday's training session.

"I believe I have a fantastic squad and we would like to go as far as possible. When you're in a competition, you ultimately want to try and win it, but I think the most important thing is one game at a time," Frank added.

"We will do everything we can to get a good start."

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Tottenham embark on what six months ago seemed an impossibility as they kick off their Champions League campaign at home to Villarreal.

Spurs finished a dismal 17th in the Premier League last term but managed to qualify for Europe’s premier competition through victory in the Europa League final, beating fellow strugglers Manchester United to win their first trophy in 17 years.

And under new manager Thomas Frank, they’ve started the season in fitting fashion of a Champions League team, racking up nine points from 12 in the league after taking European champions Paris Saint-Germain to the wire in the Super Cup.

They take on Spanish outfit Villarreal in their league phase opener, who have similarly started the season in fine stead and are fifth in LaLiga after four games.

Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the clash:

When is Tottenham vs Villarreal?

Tottenham’s Champions League clash with Villarreal kicks off at 8pm on Tuesday 16 September at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.

How can I watch it?

Viewers in the UK can watch the league phase game on Amazon Prime Video. New customers to Amazon can take out a free Prime subscription for 30 days; after that, it is £8.99 per month. You can also sign up for just Prime Video for £5.99 per month.

Team news

Dominic Solanke missed Tottenham’s demolition of West Ham on the weekend and is a big doubt for Tuesday as he nurses an ankle injury. He will likely join confirmed absentees James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski - both of whom are out with long-term injuries - while Mathys Tel and Yves Bissouma are ineligible after being snubbed from the squad. New signing Randal Kolo Muani could make his debut up top in Solanke’s stead.

Villarreal will face a late fitness test for experienced striker Gerard Moreno, while Logan Costa, Pau Cabanes and Willy Kambwala are out. Returning to North London will be Juan Foyth, who is expected to start against his former employers, as well as ex-Arsenal winger Nicolas Pepe, who has just been voted the LaLiga player of the season for August. Spurs loanee Manor Solomon is also eligible to face his parent club but will struggle to break into the starting XI.

Predicted line-ups

Tottenham XI: Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie; Palhinha, Bentancur, Sarr; Kudus, Kolo Muani, Simons.

Villarreal XI: Junior; Mourino, Foyth, Veiga, Cardona; Buchanan, Gueye, Parejo, Moleiro; Pepe, Mikautadze.

Tottenham win 10/11

Draw 14/5

Villarreal win 10/3

Cristian Romero believes Tottenham are moving in the right direction again but has revealed anger at a failure to act like the "big clubs" sparked his previous explosive statements.

Romero helped Spurs to a first trophy in 17 years with Europa League success in May, which earned qualification into this season's Champions League.

European glory in Bilbao came at the end of a rollercoaster campaign and Romero was no stranger to a cryptic message. Back in December he claimed Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City's spending were "things to imitate" because Tottenham's structure meant they "could easily be competing for the title every year".

Then on the day of Thomas Frank's appointment in June - after Ange Postecoglou was sacked 16 days on from the Europa League final - Romero paid tribute to his old boss for his achievements "despite the many obstacles that always existed and always will exist".

Ahead of Tuesday's visit of Villarreal, club captain Romero admitted: "Yes, I did a lot of interviews which seemed like I was talking badly about people inside the club but in the end I'm a person who sometimes makes mistakes and that's it.

"I always want the best for the club. Sometimes, things have been said that aren't true as well, but always everything I said is because I want there to be a structure of a club that can be at the top level, part of the big clubs.

"That's why I was sometimes so angry before, but today I see a very, very organised club with a clear idea and a coach who is organising things and everyone is seeing that in a short space of time we are with him and that's it.

"Absolutely everyone inside is looking in the same direction and that is the important thing. We hope obviously to continue like this. There are objectives for the season but as I said before, our heads are in tomorrow's game.

"We are going to enjoy that we're back in the Champions League, that's the most important thing. I see a fantastic group, a coach who leaves us with a clear idea.

"The group is very happy and we have to go game by game but I believe we can achieve great things. We hope and we are going to fight to lift another trophy."

It has been a summer of change at Spurs with Vinai Venkatesham beginning his role as chief executive in June before Daniel Levy's 24-year reign as chairman ended on September 2 after he was invited to step down in an unexpected move by majority shareholder ENIC, owned by the Lewis family.

While Romero was complimentary of Levy, he was firm in his belief that Tottenham are moving in the right direction.

He said: "I don't know what's happened, but he's a person who's been at the club for a good many years. We need to thank him, because he's the person who brought me here to Spurs."

Romero continued: "In the end it depends on everyone that we pull in the same direction.

"I think that since Thomas arrived here, they have started to take all those decisions to go in the same direction. And then when it's like that, everything runs a lot more easily, right?

"The players know what the objectives are for the season and we continue like this. We started to improve and we want another title this season.”

Frank, meanwhile, is excited to make his debut in Europe’s premier competition, having started his career in England with humble beginnings.

"Obviously it is a big thing. I am hugely looking forward to it. I am sure it will be special when we hear that Champions League anthem playing," Frank said.

"It's a new experience tomorrow in many ways. We played in the Championship with Brentford at Griffin Park in a small stadium. Tomorrow we will be in one of the best stadiums in the world playing in the Champions League."

PA

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Tottenham begin their Champions League campaign as one of the three continental title-holders as the Europa League champions play host to Villarreal.

Spurs endured a dismal domestic season last term but found salvation on the European scene, winning a first trophy in 17 years under Ange Postecoglou to seal their place in the continent’s premier competition despite their 17th-place Premier League finish.

While glory wasn’t enough to save Postecoglou’s job, new manager Thomas Frank has made Spurs look worthy of their Champions League status in the early season, racking up nine points from 12 in the league after taking European champions Paris Saint-Germain to the wire in the Super Cup.

They’ll play PSG again in the competition’s league phase but focus will be on tonight’s opener against LaLiga outfit Villarreal, who have similarly started the new season in fine stead. Can Frank’s side get their Champions League season off to a flyer?

West Ham host Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League’s late kick off today with the aim of improving their standing in the top flight table.

A rocky start to the season saw Graham Potter’s side lose their opening two matches, against Sunderland and Chelsea, to an aggregate scoreline of 8-1 before they picked up a much-needed victory in a 3-0 hammering of Nottingham Forest before the international break.

Potter’s men were given the confidence boost they needed to jump out of the relegation zone but face a solid outfit in Thomas Frank’s Spurs who begin life after Daniel Levy following the chairman’s exit from the club.

Tottenham won their opening two games, including a 2-0 victory over Man City, but slipped to a 1-0 loss to Bournemouth last time out and Frank will hope to get back to winning ways as he drives his team closer to the top of the table.

Tottenham head coach Thomas Frank has acknowledged even he did not expect Daniel Levy’s departure but has praised the “foundations” laid by the former chairman.

Levy stepped down from his role as Spurs chairman last week after being invited to leave the position he had held since 2001 by majority owners ENIC, which is owned by the Lewis family trust.

It was a shock move given Levy’s longevity at the club and Frank pointed to some of the biggest projects overseen by the 63-year-old in terms of the club’s state-of-the-art Hotspur Way training ground and world-class Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as his legacy.

“I would say I don’t think anyone expected it but a decision is made and we move forward,” Frank reflected ahead of Saturday’s trip to West Ham.

“Daniel deserves massive praise. He has been here 24 years, must be one of longest chairman that’s been in the Premier League ever.

“The things he’s built, the success he’s been a massive part of, you can’t praise enough and two big things is he has laid foundations for the future in terms of this fantastic training centre and the stadium.

“Both of them are at a level where we can compete with big clubs for the future.”

Frank revealed he has spoken to Levy to say goodbye since his departure, but reiterated the commitment of majority owners ENIC.

A source close to the Lewis family told PA last week: “Generations of the Lewis family support this special football club and they want what the fans want – more wins more often.”

Frank, chief executive Vinai Venkatesham and new non-executive chairman Peter Charrington were all name checked as “the right team to deliver” on the desire of the Lewis family to witness more on-field success at Tottenham.

Frank continued: “Yes, I’ve spoken to him and of course known Daniel but only known him the last three months.

“Of course I spent more time with him but it’s been brief. I said thank you because it was not only him appointing me but he had the decisive words and I will always be appreciative of that.

“It is not a new ownership, it is the same ownership but it’s just the majority shareholders have more influence. They are very committed to the club and want to build something for the future. The main thing I can do is focus on my job now and that is West Ham tomorrow.”

PA

West Ham will be hoping to continue where they left off last time out, when they welcome Tottenham Hotspur to the London Stadium in Saturday’s evening kick-off (5:30pm, Sky Sports).

The international break couldn’t have come at a worse time for the Hammers after ending a run of three straight defeats, in all competitions, to beat Nottingham Forest 3-0 at the City Ground.

All three goals, from Jarrod Bowen, Lucas Paqueta and Callum Wilson, came in the last six minutes to ease the pressure a little bit on manager Graham Potter and lengthening their Premier League relegation odds after a tough start.

Since the departure of Nuno Espirito Santo, the Hammers boss is the football betting sites’ favourite when it comes to the next manager to be sacked, at odds of 9/4.

He has won just six of his 23 games since taking charge of the Hammers in January, but he will be hoping that the win at Forest can kickstart their season.

His counterpart at Spurs, Thomas Frank, has had an excellent start to life at Tottenham, winning his opening two league games against Burnley and Manchester City, before going down 1-0 to Bournemouth last time out.

West Ham vs Tottenham betting: Spurs to bounce back

The odds seem to be firmly stacked against West Ham, not just based on their current form but also the fact that they have won just one of their last seven league matches against their London rivals, drawing three and losing three.

That win came back in December 2023 when second-half goals from Jarrod Bowen and James Ward-Prowse cancelled out Cristian Romero’s opener to earn the Hammers a 2-1 win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Each of the last three matches across London have ended in a 1-1 draw, and Spurs are winless in five visits, drawing three and losing two, since a 3-2 win in November 2019.

Betting sites have installed Spurs as favourites, while West Ham are home underdogs. Bettors can also find a fairly decent price on a draw in the latest Premier League odds, and considering the last three matches at West Ham have finished all square, that is not a bad shout.

On paper, this should be a win for Spurs, but when it comes to a derby and straight after an international break, logic so often goes out of the window.

The fact that Spurs have lost 10 of their last 16 London derbies in the Premier League and kept just one clean sheet in their last 21 derby matches in the league means we should expect goals.

West Ham vs Tottenham prediction 1: BTTS and Spurs to win - 3/1 Bet365

West Ham vs Tottenham prediction: Paqueta packing a punch for the Hammers

Despite their disappointing start to the season, West Ham’s Lucas Paqueta has still managed to score three goals in three games, two in the league and one in the 3-2 League Cup defeat to Wolves.

He also netted for Brazil last Friday, scoring the second goal in a 3-0 World Cup qualifying win over Chile, so he is certainly the one to watch for the Hammers.

The midfielder scored just five goals in 41 games for club and country last season, but he already has four in six games this season.

Betting apps have the 28-year-old at 12/1 to score first, 11/1 to score last or you can get a generous 19/5 on him scoring at any time.

West Ham vs Tottenham prediction 2: Lucas Paqueta to score at any time - 19/5 Ladbrokes

West Ham vs Tottenham team news

West Ham vs Tottenham predicted line-ups

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Nottingham Forest have confirmed coaches Mile Jedinak, Nick Montgomery, Sergio Raimundo and Rob Burch will form new boss Ange Postecoglou's backroom staff.

All four worked with Postecoglou, who was appointed Forest head coach on Tuesday after Nuno Espirito Santo was sacked, in his previous job at Tottenham.

A Forest statement read: "Following the arrival of Ange Postecoglou as the club's new head coach, the quartet are taking up crucial roles within the coaching team.

"Jedinak, who himself played nearly 100 times in the Premier League and worked with Postecoglou at Tottenham Hotspur, arrives as assistant coach."

Forest added: "Montgomery and Raimundo are joining, both as an assistant coach, having held the same roles under Postecoglou at Tottenham."

Burch worked as Spurs goalkeeping coach and joins Forest in the same role, the midlands club said.

Postecoglou was sacked by Tottenham in June, 16 days after leading them to Europa League glory.

The 60-year-old Australian spent two years in charge of Spurs and departed following their 17th-placed Premier League finish last season.

PA