This will be Thomas Frank’s first competitive match in charge of Tottenham since replacing Ange Postecoglou, the man who ended the club’s 17-year trophy drought last season.
And what a rollercoaster of a season it was for the North London Club last season. From Postecoglou famously claiming he “always wins in his second season” to Spurs crashing out of every domestic competition and sitting 17th in the Premier League table, it all came down to one final chance to salvage the campaign. They took it, edging Manchester United 1-0 in Bilbao to lift the Europa League.
However, that wasn’t enough to save Postecoglou’s job, with the club opting to move into a new era under Thomas Frank.
The Dane’s pre-season brought mixed results: two wins (Reading and Arsenal), three draws (Wycombe, Luton, Newcastle), and a 4-0 defeat to Bayern Munich in their most recent outing. Still, just 90 minutes stand between Spurs and a second European trophy.
Paris Saint-Germain arrive with the confidence of a club that has just enjoyed arguably the best season in football history. Ligue 1 winners, Trophee des Champions winners, Coupe de France winners, and finally, Champions League winners, after dismantling Inter Milan 5-0 in the final.
Their only real blemish was a shock 3-0 defeat to Chelsea in the FIFA Club World Cup final, which might remind you of a viral meme: “If the Conference League winners can do this to PSG, just imagine what the Europa League winners can do.”
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Under Luis Enrique, PSG have been ruthless and are firmly in the conversation for the greatest single-season side ever assembled.
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PSG vs Tottenham Hotspur: Head-to-head record
These two sides have met only once before. It came in the 2017 International Champions Cup in North America. Spurs, then under Mauricio Pochettino in their prime, came out 4-2 winners. Of that matchday squad, however, only Ben Davies remains for Tottenham, while Marquinhos and Kimpembe are still with PSG.
In present-day terms, PSG are an entirely different beast. They love facing English teams. Last season, they beat Liverpool, Aston Villa, Arsenal, and Manchester City, winning every tie (some on aggregate).
Tottenham team news
Spurs head into this match without a recognised creative midfielder, with no new signing expected before kick-off. James Maddison is the latest casualty, sidelined long-term after rupturing his ACL against Newcastle earlier this month. He joins Dejan Kulusevski (also recovering from knee surgery) on the treatment table.
Radu Dragusin, Bryan Gil, Manor Solomon, and Kota Takai are also absent from the 22-man squad.
On the brighter side, Dominic Solanke is included in the squad, however, Yves Bissouma has been left out due to disciplinary problems and remains in London.
PSG team news
PSG have no confirmed injury absentees, but a few selection questions remain. Gianluigi Donnarumma is expected to make way for new signing Lucas Chevalier, who arrived from Lille yesterday amid reports the Italian goalkeeper has rejected a contract extension.
There is also uncertainty over Ilya Zabarnyi, whose move from Bournemouth was reported by Fabrizio Romano three days ago but is still awaiting official confirmation from the club.
Predicted Tottenham line-up
Vicario, Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Spence, Bergvall, Bentancur, Sarr, Kudus, Richarlison, Odobert
Based on pre-season performances, this is the most likely XI. The back line picks itself, with little room for changes. Midfield is a problem area, however. Joao Palhinha endured a debut to forget against Bayern, but could start over Bergvall if Frank wants more physicality.
Rodrigo Bentancur impressed in the Bayern defeat, while Pape Matar Sarr was arguably Spurs’ standout player all pre-season.
Odobert looks set to start ahead of Mathys Tel and Brennan Johnson after a strong pre-season, while Kudus feels a lock for the right wing. If Solanke is fully fit, expect him to lead the line over Richarlison.
Our prediction
Neither side has ever lifted this trophy, and from a neutral’s point of view, PSG are overwhelming favourites. But Thomas Frank’s track record against English giants during his Brentford days, now combined with a stronger Spurs squad, suggests he might just have a plan.
Keep an eye on Mohamed Kudus, eager to impress in his first competitive Spurs start, and Cristian Romero, who has never lost a final in his career and will fight tooth and nail to preserve that record.
For PSG, Ousmane Dembele, who is also the current Ballon d’Or favourite, is the danger man. Luis Enrique’s side press and counter with frightening intensity, and given Spurs struggled against Bayern Munich’s U21s in similar situations, Tottenham will have to pull off something special if they want to add another trophy to their cabinet.
To dare is to do, and we’re daring to back Tottenham for the win here.