Frank “very pleased” that Spurs can qualify in Champions League top eight | OneFootball

Thomas Frank is relishing “a great opportunity” for Spurs to qualify directly for the UEFA Champions League round-of-16 when they take on Eintracht Frankfurt on Wednesday.

The Lilywhites travel to Deutsche Bank Park knowing that they have, at a minimum, qualified for the play-off round – but victory could see them skip a precarious two-legged tie and book their place in March’s round-of-16 fixtures.

“Not a specific science” behind Spurs’ improved UCL form

While Tottenham are performing well in the Champions League, domestic performances haven’t lived up to scratch this season and the former Brentford boss is coming under increasing pressure from the fans in N17.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of Wednesday’s clash, which is one of 18 matches scheduled to kick off at 20:00 GMT, Frank revealed that he believes his players perform better in the Champions League – even if “maybe there’s not a specific science behind it.

“The mental and the physical load on players to produce every third and fourth game is very big. It’s so big and it’s more difficult to do that. And, of course, the bigger the competition, from Conference League to Europa League to Champions League, it’s just better teams.

“That means you need to give more and that you need to have players in a squad that is, I wouldn’t say used to it, but are learning over time to go out and produce no matter what. That’s a big thing.”

“It’s my job to look at the bigger perspective”

The 52-year-old affirmed that he is “very happy that the team and the club are in a position where, with a win [on Wednesday], we can finish top eight in the best club tournament in the world.”

Tottenham, unlike many of the clubs beneath them, are in control of their own destiny in Frankfurt. A win would see them qualify as part of the top eight, regardless of results elsewhere.

“That, we are very pleased with,” he reiterated.

“The other thing is that I think the performances for a while have been good in many ways, we just haven’t got on the right side enough to get the three points. That’s what we’re working very hard on, sometimes you’re in that spell. The players are giving everything. But for me, tomorrow, it’s all about Frankfurt; all about the opportunity ahead of us.

“It’s my job to look a little bit in the bigger perspective. You know, even that we haven’t won as much as we want, it’s very, very few things that need to go our way.”

Frank warns fans to “expect a difficult game”

The Lilywhites boss also took time to assess Wednesday’s opponents, who currently sit eighth in the Bundesliga, some 23 points adrift of league leaders Bayern Munich.

“They may not be in their best form, but it’s a team, I think, [that did] fantastic in the league last year. I still think they have done some fantastic results and played fantastic games this season. Recently, they just played 3-3 with Dortmund. I think that’s four or five games ago. They have very good players, and they have a clear identity in what they want to do.

“I expect a very difficult game, where they will come in a man-man pressure tomorrow. I think they are very good in the transitions. I expect a difficult game. I know they are in pain, they don’t have anything to play for, but sometimes you can play free. I’ve been in this game long enough that usually you don’t know what you’re going to face tomorrow. It, of course, needs to be thoughts on us, with big respect for Frankfurt. We know all their strengths, no doubt about that.”