Tottenham are set for a big night as they return to Champions League action for the first time since the 2022/23 campaign.
The Lilywhites welcome Villarreal to N17 on Tuesday night, as they go in search of three points that would provide the perfect start to their latest European adventure.
Thomas Frank’s Tottenham team selection was always going to be crucial as he faces the proposition of trying to manage the squad across two fronts.
The North Londoners have made a bright start to the new Premier League season, and they will be desperate to continue their positive start in continental action.
Tottenham fans fume as team news announced
Lucas Bergvall was excellent for Spurs in their win over West Ham in the Premier League last weekend, and the youngster was arguably the headline of Frank’s team selection on Tuesday night.
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The Sweden international has kept his place in the midfield trio for the visit of Villarreal, with Joao Palhinha a surprise exclusion from the starting XI after some superb displays so far.
Destiny Udogie’s omission from the starting XI also brought some surprise, given that the left-back is growing ever closer towards his return to full match fitness.
However, it was another issue altogether that prompted frustration from the Lilywhites faithful as the lineup was announced.
Several fans took to X to express their frustration at the graphic used by the social media team, which named the starting XI in number order rather than position order.
There were plenty of calls for Spurs to change the lay out to make it easier to interpret and assess for the supporters.
Joao Palhinha absence is a surprise for Spurs
Palhinha has been a standout performer for Tottenham in the early stages of the season, and it is a bold call for Frank to leave him out of the starting XI for this clash.
Frank has certainly done the right thing to reward Bergvall for his outstanding showing at the London Stadium, but it could come back to bite him by not having the Portuguese in the middle of the park.
The 30-year-old will need to have his minutes managed effectively as the season goes on, but his ability to win the ball back could have been invaluable in this encounter.