Tottenham: Cristian Romero confident over new Spurs direction on return to Europe's elite | OneFootball

Previously irate captain’s positive words at rare press conference prove club are on a different path ahead of Champions League comeback

Your matchday briefing on Tottenham, featuring team news and expert analysis from Matt Verri

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Cristian Romero's most recent Champions League memory is not a particularly happy one.

Spurs were knocked out of the Champions League and Tuesday’s showdown with Villarreal marks a first return to the competition since.

Change is somewhat of a buzzword at Spurs at the moment, but the team is almost unrecognisable from the side who were knocked out by Milan.

Just three of that starting line-up are still at the club. Cristian Romero, now club captain, is the only one in line to feature on Tuesday, with Dejan Kulusevski out injured and Ben Davies yet to play a minute this season.

Add in the fact it will be Thomas Frank on the touchline and not Antonio Conte, and that there will be no Daniel Levy watching on from the stands, and this is a very different club.

That, as far as Romero is concerned, is a good thing. He made a rare press-conference appearance on Monday and addressed some of his previous comments, among which have included frustration at the club's lack of spending and a reference to "obstacles" that previous boss Ange Postecoglou had to overcome.

"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," Romero said.

"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."

Asked if he felt his previous concerns had been addressed, and whether Levy's exit could spark a more ambitious era at the club, Romero continued: "As I said before, it’s a bit of everything. It’s about the group of players, the coaching staff, the people that work for us, the executives obviously, 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."

A happy, committed Romero is good news for Spurs and for Frank, who on Tuesday gets his first taste of Champions League football as a manager.

In previous European campaigns it has been a largely inexperienced Spurs side facing new challenges, but there is a different feel to this squad. Last year's Europa League triumph has of course helped, but so too have the arrivals of Joao Palhinha, Randal Kolo Muani and Xavi Simons.

There is a renewed positivity around the club amid recent declarations of a "new era" and Spurs head into their European campaign after a fine start to the season domestically.

Having been handed a relatively kind set of league-phase fixtures, Spurs should believe they can reach the knockout stages.

That, though, is a long way in the distance for Spurs. First it's Villarreal and a chance to show just how much has changed while they have been away from Europe's elite.