Tottenham could face a disadvantage heading into the game against Villarreal on Tuesday.
Tottenham welcome Villarreal to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in their opening UEFA Champions League game on 16 September.
The match comes after Spurs obtained all three points against West Ham in a 3-0 victory at the London Stadium. Now third in the Premier League table, the Lilywhites will feel confident heading into the confrontation.
However, Thomas Frank is set to encounter a small issue as the hours tick down before facing the Spanish side.
Tottenham tickets to face Villarreal remain on sale
Randal Kolo Muani’s Tottenham debut could come against Villarreal, as well as three other changes to the team who travelled to the London Stadium.
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However, the Paris Saint-Germain loanee could debut in front of thousands of empty seats at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
According to The Mail on 15 September, the opening fixture has not grabbed the “public imagination”, with a crowd of 54,000 expected, but tickets remained on sale at the time of writing.
Two reasons have emerged for the low uptake, including blame over ticket prices ranging from £27 to £96 and the “limited appeal” of the opposition.
As a result, Frank could have more than Dominic Solanke’s injury to worry about heading into the confrontation.
Tottenham and Villarreal’s record heading into the game
Tottenham and Villarreal have met once before in a 4-1 friendly won by the La Liga side in 2010.
Fast forward, and Spurs’ recent form slightly edges their opposition. Indeed, the Lilywhites have won three in their last five, losing against Bournemouth and drawing against PSG in the UEFA Super Cup final before missing out on penalties.
Meanwhile, Villarreal have won two in their last five, losing two and drawing against Celta Vigo in La Liga.
With their mighty form and a home advantage, Tottenham are expected to bag a win on the night.
However, with Frank’s only experience of managing in a European competition coming during the UEFA Europa League qualifiers, it could be an uphill battle for the Lilywhites.