Tottenham vs Qarabag delayed as 'severe disruption' holds up Europa League tie

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Tottenham's match with Qarabag in the Europa League has been delayed until 8.35pm after the visitors were caught up in traffic.

The visitors didn't arrive at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium until just before the match's original 8pm kick-off time.

And Spurs confirmed the delay in a statement which read: “Kick off for tonight’s fixture has been delayed due to severe travel disruption. Further information to follow.”

TNT Sports, who are broadcasting the fixture in the UK, then confirmed that the match would start at 8.35pm once Qarabag's players had been given a chance to warm up.

London Overground services from both Cheshunt and Enfield Town to White Hart Lane were suspended prior to the match, while there were also issues on the A10 in both directions.

The travel issues also affected supporters with it being noted on various media outlets that the home areas of the stadium were far from full with the revised kick-off time fast approaching.

Speaking ahead of the match, Tottenham captain Son Heung-min outlined the team's desire to go all the way in the Europa League.

Spurs missed out on the Champions League last season after they were pipped to a top-four finish - but it's not lost on Son that the Europa League still represents a chance for the club to win a major trophy.

He said: "There is no hiding - that is what we work for. It's another big competition that everyone wants to win. It's going to be tough, a lot of games and travelling - which makes it harder.

"We have got to be ready and take it seriously, because it's a massive competition."

Head coach Ange Postcoglou stated he "always" wins a trophy in his second season at clubs earlier this month after surviving a scare against Coventry City of the Championship to reach the fourth round of the Carabao Cup.

He cleared up his comments, saying: "In my 26 years of managing I’ve had success and most of that has come in the second year, not all of it. Sometimes it’s happened in the first year, sometimes in the third year.

"I don’t see why that puts extra pressure. It doesn’t put extra pressure on me because I love the fact that I’ve done that. It’s what I want to do here.

"I’d like to think that just saying the truth is the way to go forward but I think sometimes that’s too confronting for people, they’d much rather I didn’t."

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