Tottenham dealt key selection blow as Europa League opener approaches
Tottenham look set to be without Cristian Romero for the start of their Europa League campaign later this month.
Spurs are back in continental competition this term for the first time in two seasons, since their 1-0 aggregate defeat by AC Milan in the last 16 of the Champions League under Antonio Conte back in March 2023.
It is Tottenham’s first foray into the Europa League since 2020/21, when they again fell at the last-16 stage after being stunned 3-2 on aggregate by Dinamo Zagreb under Jose Mourinho. Spurs played in the Conference League in 2021/22, but they did not advance from the group stage after their postponed match against Rennes amid a Covid-19 outbreak in the squad was later ruled as a forfeit by Uefa.
Spurs are now poised for a first European adventure under Ange Postecoglou, having not been in Europe at all last term and eventually finishing fifth in the Premier League during the Australian’s first season in charge - missing out on fourth and the final Champions League qualifying spot to Aston Villa.
It’s all change in the Europa League this season, with Uefa’s significant revamp mirroring that of the Champions League after replacing the traditional group stage with a 36-team ‘league’ phase in which all clubs will play eight matches, four at home and four away. The top eight finishers will advance straight through to the last 16, while those that end up ninth to 24th will contest a two-legged play-off round. Teams that finish 25th and below will be eliminated from European football altogether in the New Year.
The draw for the new-look Europa League took place in Monaco last week, with Tottenham placed in Pot 1 alongside Manchester United and Rangers. Each team faces two clubs from each pot, including their own, with former Celtic boss Postecoglou set to return to Glasgow to face Rangers at Ibrox in addition to a high-profile home clash with Roma.
First up though for Spurs is the visit of Azerbaijani side Qarabag to north London on September 26, followed by fixtures against Hungarian champions Ferencvaros and Dutch side AZ Alkmaar in October and a trip to Galatasaray that precedes the games against Roma and Rangers, which are followed by meetings with Hoffenheim and Elfsborg in the New Year.
The match against Qarabag comes just three days before Tottenham are due to travel to Old Trafford to take on Manchester United in the Premier League, with the north London derby at home to Arsenal up first after the new season’s first international break before a Carabao Cup third-round date with Coventry and home clash with Brentford.
Spurs look set to be without a key player against Qarabag in the form of Romero, who is expected to be suspended for the game owing to the sending off he received the last time Tottenham were in Europe.
The Argentine centre-back - currently away on international duty with the World Cup holders - was sent off for two bookable offences in March 2023 as Conte’s Spurs failed to overturn a 1-0 deficit at home in their Champions League last-16 tie against AC Milan, the second for a wild challenge on Theo Hernandez that followed an earlier caution for bringing down Rafael Leao.
Since Spurs have not played in Europe since then, that one-match suspension will carry over to this season, with football.london reporting Uefa’s confirmation that such a ban has not yet expired and can carry across from the Champions League to the Europa League.
Postecoglou will hope that Micky van de Ven is back to full fitness by the time of Qarabag’s visit with no Romero, with the Dutch defender having missed the 2-1 defeat at Newcastle last weekend with a knee issue suffered in the 4-0 win over Everton.
Spurs were also without strikers Dominic Solanke and Richarlison for that narrow loss on Tyneside, due to ankle and muscle problems respectively.
Radu Dragusin stepped in to partner Romero against Newcastle and will likely do the same alongside Van de Ven against Qarabag.
