London Evening Standard

Tottenham travel to Monaco on matchday three of the Champions League league stage this evening, and Thomas Frank’s side will be hoping to record a win after salvaging a last-minute draw in their most recent outing. Spurs were held to a 2-2 draw by Bodo/Glimt in the Arctic Circle last time out, when Micky Van de Ven and Jostein Gundersen’s own goal hauled them back level from 2-0 down after Jens Petter Hauge’s brace.

The north Londoners are still unbeaten on the continent this term having defeated Villarreal in their opening game 1-0 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. They face a Monaco side that stole a draw in the dying embers against Manchester City on matchday two, as former Tottenham defender Eric Dier tucked away a penalty in injury time.

The Ligue 1 outfit are under new management, with Sebastien Pocognoli (yes, formerly of West Brom) at the helm after Adi Hutter was sacked. They are seventh in the French top flight table. This should be a thrilling encounter, and you can follow all the updates with our live blog below!

The centre-back pulled out of the warm-up against Aston Villa on Sunday with an adductor issue and was replaced in the starting line-up by Kevin Danso.

Although Thomas Frank insisted it was not a serious problem, Romero did not train with the Spurs squad on Tuesday and has not travelled for his side's latest Champions League test.

"It's an adductor strain,” Frank said at his pre-match press conference. “We will assess it more this week before we confirm any timeframe."

Destiny Udogie will also miss the match and, unless he shifts players out of position, it means Frank has no choice but to start the same back four again.

”The latest is that he got that knee irritation after international duty,” the Spurs boss said.

“We are assessing and working very hard to get on top of it. We'll know more day by day."

There could be a reshuffle in midfield after the struggles against Villa. Lucas Bergvall and Pape Matar Sarr have both had limited involvement recently but would add some energy and drive to the middle of the pitch.

Further forward, Xavi Simons has not hit the heights expected of him at No10 and there could be a temptation for Frank to try something different and move him out to the left where he made his first Spurs appearances.

Mathys Tel has led the line in the last two matches, but he is not in Spurs' squad for the league phase of the Champions League and so Richarlison is expected to return to the starting line-up.

Spurs took an early lead over Aston Villa only to fall to a 2-1 defeat - their first in eight games across all competitions - and raise more questions about the club’s ability to build in attack.

Such fralities were on show the last time Spurs were in Champions League action, as they escaped Bodo/Glimt with an entirely undeserved 2-2 draw. That came after an unconvincing 1-0 win over Villarreal in their first League Phase game.

Monaco are also struggling and welcome Spurs amid a four-game winless streak, though that run includes a 2-2 draw with Manchester City.

Monaco vs Tottenham is scheduled for an 8pm BST kick-off on Wednesday, October 22, 2025.

TV channel: In the UK, the game will be televised live on TNT Sports 3, with coverage starting at 7pm BST.

Live stream: TNT Sports subscribers can also catch the contest live online via the Discovery+ app and website.

Cristian Romero and Destiny Udogie, who withdrew ahead of the loss to Aston Villa, were both absent from training ahead of the trip and did not join their team-mates on the plane leaving London. Kevin Danso and Djed Spence are expected to deputise again.

Mathys Tel is ineligible, so Richarlison will start as loanee Randal Kolo Muani continues to build up his fitness, with Dominic Solanke still sidelined. Lucas Bergvall and Pape Sarr will be pushing to start, with Xavi Simons' place in doubt.

Monaco are juggling many injuries of their own, most notably former Spurs star Eric Dier who misses the game with a hamstring problem. The likes of Vanderson, Denis Zakaria and Christian Mawissa will also miss out. Paul Pogba is still not fit enough to play.

This one should serve up some goals. Neither team can boast particularly impressive defences - especially with Romero out - but both have plenty to offer in attack.

Spurs are without 10 first-team players tonight as the fixtures turn tough

In charge: Thomas Frank

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Matt Verri

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Just over two months into the season, it is difficult to know quite what to make of Tottenham's start to life under Thomas Frank.

Sixth in the table and five points off leaders Arsenal is a marked improvement from last season's Premier League shambles, while four points from two Champions League matches represents a strong platform to kick on from.

The defence is much-improved and set-pieces at both ends of the pitch have been transformed.

Yet there is a sense things are not quite right. The eye test tells you the right balance in midfield has not been found and that Spurs' attackers, Mohammed Kudus aside, are not as threatening as Frank needs.

The underlying data shows that Spurs are in the bottom half when it comes to expected goals and expected points.

Tottenham are over-performing their data

Action Images via Reuters

With an incredibly tough run of fixtures taking Spurs all the way through to Christmas, the direction of the team's season will soon become apparent.

Frank's side take on Monaco tonight in the Champions League and the French club have not lost at home this season, taking a point off Manchester City at the start of October.

Spurs have the best away record in the Premier League, but this will be a stern test, not least because a familiar problem is once again rearing its head.

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For one reason or another, Frank will be without ten first-team players tonight. Coping without the likes of James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski is something Spurs have had to do all season, but the treatment room now has fresh blood.

Cristian Romero, Destiny Udogie and Ben Davies all returned from the international break with injury issues and have not travelled to Monaco.

As it stands, Spurs have two fit full-backs in the squad and 16-year-old Jun'ai Byfield as their only back-up centre-back. One more injury and either Archie Gray or Joao Palhinha would likely have to slot into the defence.

Cristian Romero picked up an injury in the warm-up on Sunday

Action Images via Reuters

Frank was unable to provide a timeframe for Romero's return, but he was asked at his pre-match press conference whether fans should be worried about the Spurs captain's injury.

He responded: “No, I don't think so. For me it's an adductor strain. We'll assess him this week and then we'll know more.”

Any anxiety from supporters, though, would only be natural. It was not far off this time last season that injury problems hit for Romero, and much of the Spurs squad, and the domestic season fell apart.

However long Romero is out for this time, and Spurs remain hopeful it is not for an extended period, he will be sorely missed.

Spurs were incredibly poor against Bodo/Glimt without their captain last month. Kevin Danso is a capable understudy but he cannot replace Romero's ability on the ball when it comes to finding passes through the lines.

Particularly with the Spurs midfield in front of him often being too safe in possession, Romero is capable of relieving the pressure and picking out the creative players in pockets of space.

Kevin Danso will be required to step up in his captain’s absence

John Walton/PA Wire

Ahead of what feels like a huge run of fixtures, coping without Romero is a significant test of Spurs' mentality. Much has been made of the improvements the team have made in that respect this season, with multiple comebacks, and this is another stern examination.

Particularly now with the captain's armband, Romero is the player this Spurs team look to in the toughest moments, to rally them and hold the fort together.

After tonight's clash, Spurs travel to face Everton on Sunday and are away at Newcastle in the Carabao Cup. Frank's side then host Chelsea and Manchester United - Spurs have won three of their last 18 home matches in the Premier League. Beyond the next international break, Arsenal and PSG loom.

It is a run that will potentially serve as a crossroads for the season. Come through it, even with the injury issues, and there will be no shortage of evidence that Spurs really have turned a corner under Frank, and the positive league positions are sustainable.

Picking up a result in Monaco without their captain would be the perfect start.

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Spurs clearly altered approach to signing players during eventful summer window

Successor: Thomas Frank replaced the sacked Ange Postecoglou as Tottenham head coach in June

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Matt Verri

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Tottenham's head of scouting Rob Mackenzie has explained the club’s shift in transfer policy under Thomas Frank.

After winning the Europa League last season to earn their place in the Champions League, Spurs strengthened this summer by bringing in players with experience of Europe's top competition.

Xavi Simons, Mohammed Kudus, Joao Palhinha and Randal Kolo Muani were among those added to what was a very young squad.

That in itself had been a deliberate plan under Ange Postecoglou. In the summer of 2024, Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall and Wilson Odobert were signed as Spurs looked to the future in overhauling their squad.

"There were a whole host of things from a strategic perspective that would enhance our ability to be successful moving forward,” Mackenzie told the TGG Podcast of those transfer windows under Postecoglou.

“At that time, with Ange as the head coach, we were definitely in a period of transition in terms of some of the more experienced players leaving.

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“So how do you regenerate a squad from an energy perspective, an enthusiasm perspective, a strategic perspective? Within that summer and in January, we signed players who would assist with our mid to long-term sustainability as a football club.”

Hitting the ground running: Mohammed Kudus has made an excellent start to life at Tottenham

Owen Humphreys/PA Wire

It was felt that approach needed to shift in the most recent transfer window to give new head coach Frank a squad capable of competing now, rather than in a couple of years’ time.

Mackenzie revealed that in future windows there will be more of a "balance" between the two strategies at Tottenham.

“It’s about getting a balance and complementing what you already have,” he said. “We were fortunate enough to have signed those young talents who not only can contribute now but also in the future.

“Then it felt natural [to] say, ‘Well. if we’ve hopefully done a solid role in recruiting some of the most exciting talents across Europe and beyond, then actually from a short-term competitiveness perspective… it felt natural to enhance the 11 in as many ways as possible and give Thomas Frank and his staff different options across different areas of the pitch.

“Because winning games is the most important thing. Any Spurs fan who was in Bilbao (will know) that winning things is the holy grail. Moving forward, we’ll look to enhance in both areas, kind of balance them both off.”

Kudus and Palhinha have arguably been Spurs' two best players this season, with Frank benefitting from the shift to signing players ready to improve the starting lineup immediately.

However, Simons has yet to hit top form and questions were raised over the decision to sign Mathys Tel on a permanent deal when he was then left out of the club's squad for the league phase of the Champions League.

Despite that, Mackenzie has seen enough on the pitch this season to convince him that it was a job well done in the summer.

“Very objectively, I think we had a successful transfer window in the summer and we’ve brought in players capable of influencing our 11 and enhancing our performance in the Premier League,” he said.

“In the players that we agreed to sign – as a collective and obviously led by Thomas – they are all playing regularly and contributing to our 11. For me, that is the best indicator that there is agreement and alignment.”

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Spurs head to the microstate looking for a crucial win on the road