Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank has hailed what he described as an "incredible" achievement after his side secured a fourth-place finish in the Champions League group stage with a commanding 2-0 victory away at Eintracht Frankfurt.
European Success Amid Domestic Struggles
Spurs put their disappointing Premier League form firmly behind them to produce a dominant display in Germany, with second-half goals from Randal Kolo Muani and Dominic Solanke sealing the crucial win. This result not only guaranteed Tottenham a top-eight berth but also earned them direct passage into the last 16 of Europe's premier club competition, complete with home advantage for the second leg of their upcoming knockout tie.
Frank's Tactical Mastery
The victory marked the second consecutive week that Tottenham have responded to underwhelming domestic results by triumphing over German opposition in Europe. Following their earlier success against Borussia Dortmund, Frank's tactical adjustments proved decisive once again.
Spurs lined up in a 3-4-3 formation, with midfielder Joao Palhinha dropping into the back three to cover for the absent Micky van de Ven. This strategic move worked to perfection, while Kolo Muani's central role against his former club added extra motivation to the performance.
Midfield Creativity Shines
The dual-attacking midfield partnership of Xavi Simons and Wilson Odobert particularly caught the eye, providing the creative spark that has sometimes been lacking in Tottenham's Premier League campaign. Frank expressed particular satisfaction with how his players adapted to the system change, noting that their understanding of the new formation continues to improve with each match.
"We have just changed the system to the 3-4-3 so the last three games we played it, meaning it will only get better and better," Frank explained during his post-match reflections.
Character and Resilience Praised
What impressed the Tottenham manager most was the character shown by his squad, who had to overcome significant injury challenges to secure this important European result. With fourteen players unavailable for the Frankfurt clash, many of those who featured had to push through the full ninety minutes despite not being at full fitness.
"I am very proud of the players and the character shown," Frank emphasised. "For basically the Dortmund game and this one, we had just twelve outfield players available, so a lot of players had to push through ninety minutes maybe not being there physically. The character and mentality in this team is truly significant."
Looking Ahead to the Knockout Stages
With their place in the last sixteen now secured, Tottenham will face one of Club Brugge, Galatasaray, Juventus, or Atletico Madrid when the Champions League resumes in March. Frank acknowledged the importance of building on this European success as his team seeks to improve their disappointing domestic standing, with Spurs currently languishing in fourteenth position in the Premier League after winning just two of their last fourteen league matches.
"We need to take them one at a time, now in the round of sixteen, so finishing in the top eight was a big step," Frank reflected. "To actually finish fourth in the Champions League is incredible – seventeen points I think it is – so there are a lot of positives to take forward."
Building Momentum
The Danish manager remains optimistic about his team's progress, pointing to improved performances over their last ten matches despite not always getting the results they desired. He stressed the importance of consistency as Tottenham look to translate their European form into Premier League success.
"I actually think our performances now in ten games have been getting better and better," Frank added. "We haven't got all the results we wanted, but the last three games were very positive, and that is what we have to build on. We are working very, very hard, and it's nice that the result and performance show the bits we are working on are getting closer and closer. Now we need to be even more consistent and turn those performances into more wins going forward."
Frank concluded by expressing his satisfaction with both the result and the performance against Frankfurt, describing it as "a more than well-deserved 2-0 win, away from home, in the Champions League" that demonstrated the growing resilience and quality within his squad.
