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Yeah, I'm so happy not only to have him in the Champions League squad, but also it was a tough decision. It was a big game tonight and I wanted to start Dom, but we need to take clever decisions like we've done throughout, because we have been pushing him to the limit.

So we know every sign, every experience says that it was the right thing not to start him. So I'm happy that it turned out to be a very good decision.

First of all, I was very happy that he scored the goal. I think, actually, he looked like a threat. He almost got an assist with the first one that was disallowed. He was very involved in that. Great action. I think he has had great actions throughout the game. So I'm very happy that he got the goal and I said to him, please start scoring against others than your former clubs, that would be nice.

But we know when you come to a new club, a new country, it's never straightforward and never in the Premier League. I hope this will give him some confidence.

I think, first of all, very happy for the performance. I think the players showed great character, their mentality. We basically had 12 available players for Dortmund in this game and in both games the players stepped up.

And I think this game we were more or less in control from the beginning to the end of the game. I think that's a big thing. I need to say, we've seen some of the results in the Champions League tonight. We've seen some of the results throughout the league phase. There's no easy games. So we're sitting here with 17 points, ending, finishing fourth in the group stage, sixth sheet.

I think it's very impressive, but throughout the game today I think we were good in the high pressure. I think we looked strong when we defended low. I'm very happy how we progressed with the ball and how we got quick up the pitch. And then, of course, still working on creating, but I think we created quite a lot today, which I'm very pleased with. So, yeah, very, very happy with that.

And then, of course, the fans I think were fantastic. Very happy, so many of them travelling in numbers and the support throughout the game.

Tottenham Hotspur have qualified for the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League following Wednesday night's victory against Eintracht Frankfurt

Tottenham Hotspur will play either Club Brugge, Galatasaray, Juventus or Atletico Madrid in the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League. Dominic Solanke fired Thomas Frank's side to victory at the Deutsche Bank Park on Wednesday night to secure automatic qualification to the knockout stages.

Spurs leapt out of the gates, with Xavi Simons breaking the deadlock inside the opening minutes. Unfortunately for the Lilywhites, the midfielder's strike was chalked off by the Video Assistant Referee, who adjudged Destiny Udogie to have interfered with play from an offside position.

Before the break, the Bundesliga outfit hit the woodwork while Tottenham squandered a couple of good opportunities. Frank's side leapt out of the gates, again, this time in the second half, with Randal Kolo Muani firing Spurs into the lead.

Solanke doubled the Lilywhites' lead inside the final quarter of an hour to bank three crucial points. Tottenham finished the 'league phase' in fourth place, and they'll face either Club Brugge, Galatasaray, Juventus or Atletico Madrid in the last 16 in March.

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The draw for the knockout phase play-off will take place in Nyon, Switzerland, on Friday, January 30, at 11am (GMT), pulling together teams that finished between ninth and 24th in the 'league phase' table.

The two-legged tie will be played on either February 16 or February 18, and on either February 23 or February 25. The eight teams that advance from the knockout phase play-offs will be thrown into the hat for the last 16 draw, which will take place on Friday, February 27.

Meanwhile, those who finished in the top eight of the 'league phase' table, including Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City, automatically qualified for the last 16, and won't return to action in the competition until March.

Speaking to reporters ahead of the clash in Germany, Frank commented on how proud is he of his side. The Dane said: "Again, it's not about me. It's about us.

"I'm very happy that the team and the club we are in a position where, with a win tomorrow, we can finish top eight in the best club tournament in the world, and it's super, super competitive, as we know. So that we are very, very pleased with.

"Those results and some of those performances are also what we need to take going forward, of course, and build on that. Again, it's me, it's my job to look a little bit in the bigger perspective.

"You know, even that we haven't won as much as we want, it's very, very few things that need to go our way. You know, the small margins - keep doing the right thing, keep improving things you want to do, and getting quality players back, such as Dominic Solanke as I’ve talked about before.

"Dom is a huge for us, he's been out for six months. You know, to have your main striker and top scorer out - I'd like to see some of the other teams being out there as well, so that means something.

"Dom is a physical beast, great mentality, but he pushes to the limit as well, coming from being off the bench playing 50 minutes, then 70 minutes, going over the ground, then 90 minutes. So, he's pushing everything he can, but it's a tough job."

Here are our Tottenham player ratings after their 2-0 victory at Eintracht Frankfurt to send them into the last 16 of the Champions League

Randal Kolo Muani came back to haunt Frankfurt and send Tottenham into the Champions League's last 16 in Germany on Wednesday night and here are our Spurs player ratings.

Decked out in their traditional all-white look for European nights under the lights as light snow fell at the Deutsche Bank Park, Spurs needed a victory to ensure they bypassed the play-off rounds next month and instead jumped into the round of 16 of Europe's top tier competition in March.

In the end it was a goal from Frankfurt old boy Kolo Muani and another from Dominic Solanke that completed the job.

Boss Thomas Frank went into the game without the services of 14 unavailable players, including the injured Micky van de Ven and Pedro Porro, meaning he had just 11 senior outfield names to choose his starting line-up from. The one senior star who took a place on the bench was Solanke, after his first back-to-back starts since May following his troublesome ankle problem.

That meant Kolo Muani was up front for Spurs against his old team just over 24 hours after his lucky escape when a blown tyre on his Ferrari led to a crash on the M25 as he was driving to Stansted Airport to catch the team flight to Germany.

In the end it would be the Frenchman who was the scourge of his old team and he was booed with every touch.

It looked like Spurs had opened the scoring within three minutes when Xavi Simons slammed home Kolo Muani's low parried cross but Destiny Udogie was offside in the build-up and deemed to be interfering with play.

Frankfurt had conceded three goals in each of their previous five matches and their defence showed throughout. The returning Joao Palhinha, playing on the right of a back three, and Pape Matar Sarr both had early efforts at goal before Wilson Odobert struck the right-hand post.

Xavi was then gifted the ball by Eintracht goalkeeper Kaua Santos in the hosts' box before the break but the stopper got a toe to the Dutchman's strike. Frankfurt had a late chance before the interval when Hugo Larsson's shot bounced off the top of the crossbar.

Spurs finally scored two minutes into the second half when Xavi's deep cross was headed into the six-yard box by the unmarked Cristian Romero and Kolo Muani flicked the ball into the net with his heel.

The visitors queued up the efforts at the Eintracht goal in the aftermath of the goal. Sarr saw his low shot saved by Santos before Xavi's deflected effort rolled wide of the Frankfurt goal with the goalkeeper wrong-footed. Nineteen-year-old Archie Gray had a strike blocked in the box before Romero sent a header at the keeper.

It was left to Solanke to come off the bench to seal the victory in the 77th minute with a low assured finish after running on to Mahmoud Dahoud's poor header back, sending Spurs into the last 16 as the fourth best team in the big Champions League table.

Here are our Spurs player ratings:

Guglielmo Vicario

Didn't have a save to make as the defence kept Frankfurt mostly at bay. 6

Joao Palhinha

Played on the right of the back three and did an effective job. Had a header pushed wide by the keeper from a corner early on. 7

Kevin Danso

Looked to pick up an injury in a collision with Romero from a Spurs corner that left him limping for the remainder of the first half. Kept battling on though and did well in the second period. 7

Cristian Romero

Defended well in the first half and grabbed an assist with his unmarked header to Kolo Muani. Led by example with his composure at the back and had a chance of his own with a header sent at the keeper. 8

Djed Spence

Got into plenty of good positions down the right. Wasn't always effective with his final product but worked very hard down that flank. 7

Archie Gray

Big game from the teenager as he covered most of the pitch in a blockbuster performance. His strength and passing was top notch. Teed up Sarr for a chance in the first half and had a shot blocked himself in the second period. 8

Pape Matar Sarr

Back in the team and the AFCON winner fired over the crossbar 25 minutes in. Had a low shot saved by Santos after the hour mark. Did well considering he's had so little game time in the past month and was ill. 7

Destiny Udogie

Adjudged offside early on when he blocked off a defender before Xavi's ruled out effort. Made a crucial tackle on the half hour mark to stop a Frankfurt attack. Really good display down the left with some important interventions. 8

Wilson Odobert

Sent a low strike against the base of the right-hand post and was a livewire throughout. The final ball wasn't always right but he was a constant threat. 7

Xavi Simons

Looked like he'd opened the scoring but Udogie was offside in the build-up. Denied by the keeper after being gifted the ball in the box. Some smart touches and turns and some less smart ones, but he's gradually getting used to those around him. He's great to watch on the ball even if his passes aren't always perfect. Never hides. 8

Randal Kolo Muani

Booed by his former fans, he thought he'd set up a goal within three minutes only for the flag to be raised. He then continued his record of so far only scoring against his old clubs for Spurs with a backheeled goal early in the second half. His link-up play throughout was very good. 8

Subs

Dominic Solanke

Put the seal on the victory with a composed low finish and showed why Frank put him back into the Champions League squad. 7

Dane Scarlett

Came on for the final moments of the game. N/A

Jun'ai Byfield

Glenn Hoddle has given an explanation as to why Xavi Simons' early would-be goal for Tottenham Hotspur against Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League was ruled out on Wednesday night.

The Dutchman fired home from close range just two minutes into play at the Deutsche Bank Park, connecting with a parried rebound from Destiny Udogie's initial shot.

However, celebrations were short-lived in the visitors' end, as VAR intervened to carefully scrutinise the build-up.

In the end, Udogie was ruled to be in an offside position after he made the initial run in behind Frankfurt's backline, with Jesus Gil Manzano awarding a free-kick to the home side as a result.

It didn't take Hoddle, on co-commentary duties for TNT Sports on the evening, long to give his verdict on the call, despite the official ruling.

He said: "I think they are saying it was a foul.

"He was in an offside position, but just there he has pulled his arm back.

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"He [Thomas Frank] hasn't seen the foul, but it was a foul. He was interfering with play."

It comes as Frank faces increasing pressure to turn the tide at Spurs in the coming weeks, as fans grow discontent with diminishing domestic performances.

While Spurs headed into their Champions League showdown with Frankfurt fifth place in the Champions League standings, the state of play in the Premier League starkly contrasts - the north London outfit languishing in 14th in the English top-flight.

However, speaking on TNT Sports ahead of Wednesday evening's match, Joe Cole insisted that Frank should not take sole responsibility for an incredibly testing period for Tottenham.

The former West Ham, Chelsea and England star said: "We were talking off-air there, and I really feel for Thomas Frank. Daniel Levy's left, who knew everything at that club, everything went through him; he chose the spoons in the kitchen.

"So it's a real mess at the moment, and the fans are still calling for change, but where do you want to change it to? They won't win trophies, think it's one or two in 30, 40 years.

"They want to play like this, then they don't want to play like that, and Thomas Frank is just the front man. Just give him time, let him do his thing; he did it at Brentford.

"He did it at his previous club, where he built something, and he's in the middle of a firestorm at the moment. Everything is coming on Thomas Frank, but I think the dressing room at Spurs really needs addressing.

"Some of the behaviour from the players towards Thomas Frank and their own fans and some of the stuff online and all that nonsense, I just think that's the problem at Tottenham, it's not Thomas Frank."

Joe Cole has slammed Tottenham Hotspur stars and insisted the dressing room's behaviour towards Thomas Frank needs to be looked at amid increasing pressure on the boss.

The Dane has failed to turn the tide at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium since being appointed as Ange Postecoglou's successor in the summer, with Spurs currently sitting 14th in the Premier League standings after seven wins, as many draws and nine losses to show for the season.

As a result, Frank has seen fans turn on him recently, with chants of "you're getting sacked in the morning" ringing out from Tottenham supporters home and away this month. However, former West Ham and Chelsea star Cole has urged fans to take a look at the wider state of play, instead of pointing the finger at the squad for a disastrous run of form.

Speaking ahead of Spurs' Champions League clash with Eintracht Frankfurt at Deutsche Bank Park on Wednesday evening, Cole said: "We were talking off air there, and I really feel for Thomas Frank. Daniel Levy's left, who knew everything at that club, everything went through him; he chose the spoons in the kitchen.

"So it's a real mess at the moment, and the fans are still calling for change, but where do you want to change it to? They won't win trophies, think it's one or two in 30, 40 years.

"They want to play like this, then they don't want to play like that, and Thomas Frank is just the front man. Just give him time, let him do his thing; he did it at Brentford.

"He did it at his previous club, where he built something, and he's in the middle of a firestorm at the moment. Everything is coming on Thomas Frank, but I think the dressing room at Spurs really needs addressing.

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"Some of the behaviour from the players towards Thomas Frank and their own fans and some of the stuff online and all that nonsense, I just think that's the problem at Tottenham, it's not Thomas Frank."

Ally McCoist concurred with Cole's thesis on matters in north London at present, explaining how the club look a little lost domestically at present despite a good European run. He explained: "I do agree. I was at that Dortmund match, and for the first 45, they were excellent.

"[Pedro] Porro on the right-hand side, [Dominic] Solanke gets his goal, and they were firing on all cylinders. The sending off helped them, but they were really excellent.

"As a club, I think they look lost. You can even discuss the rights and the wrongs of it, but they got rid of a manager who won them a European trophy.

"If you take it like that and think about that, it's madness. I know the league position is nowhere near good enough, but you could see he [Postecoglou] was not giving up points, but his main aim was to win that European trophy, and he did it.

"But the club for whatever reason decided to get rid of him and then the new manager comes in and it's all great but now suddenly he's getting it. They have had quality, they've had Nuno [Espirito Santo], [Mauricio] Pochettino, Jose [Mourinho]."

Cole then replied: "In the modern area as well. When players, when some players recognise how easy it is to get a manager sacked at the club," before McCoist interrupted to say: "Correct."

TNT Sports pundit Cole then added: "It's a different thing for them (players). I just think not shaking the manager's hand, the stuff online. All of that needs ironing out before they start looking at Thomas Frank."

Here's the Tottenham team Thomas Frank has selected to face Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League on Wednesday night

Thomas Frank has made five changes to his Tottenham team to face Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League on Wednesday.

The Spurs boss said he had just 11 available senior outfield players to choose from due to injuries and players not registered for the club's European exploits. Randal Kolo Muani starts up front after escaping injury on Tuesday in a car crash on his way from the club's Enfield training ground to Stansted Airport to catch the team flight to Germany.

Wilson Odobert, who was behind him on the motorway and pulled over to check that his team-mate was alright, also starts after Frank made it clear that both Frenchmen were in the right frame of mind to play. Dominic Solanke is on the bench after his recent back-to-back starts after so long out.

With Pedro Porro and Micky van de Ven injured, Djed Spence and Destiny Udogie start as the full-backs while Kevin Danso plays alongside Midfielders Joao Palhinha and Pape Matar Sarr are back in contention, after injury and illness respectively, and both start with Archie Gray.

Here's the Tottenham Thomas Frank has selected:

Tottenham Hotspur are hoping to secure a place in the last 16 of the Champions League with a victory at Eintracht Frankfurt on Wednesday evening.

Thomas Frank knows that a win at the Deutsche Bank Park will ensure that the north London outfit skip next month's play-off round and head straight into the round of 16 in March. Spurs have availability issues as usual with the Dane only able to call upon 11 senior outfield players for the match.

Managerless Frankfurt are also struggling struggling for form and have conceded three goals in each of their past five consecutive games. As they cannot qualify for the knockout stages, there is some talk among the local media that interim boss Dennis Schmitt may rotate his squad in order to have players fresh for this Saturday's Bundesliga match against Leverkusen.

Will the visitors take advantage or will Dr Tottenham pay a visit to the ailing German side?

Our Spurs correspondent Alasdair Gold is in Frankfurt to find out. Scroll down for his latest updates from the Champions League match.

Tottenham need a win guarantee a spot in the top eight of the Champions League group stage and face an Eintracht Frankfurt side who have no chance of securing qualification to the next phase

Hoping to finish a disappointing league phase on a high, Eintracht Frankfurt host Tottenham Hotspur at Deutsche Bank Park in the Champions League on Wednesday night. Die Adler have already seen their hopes of reaching the knockout stages dashed after a poor run through the first seven gameweeks, while Spurs are on the verge of securing a place in the last 16.

After finishing behind only champions Bayern Munich and the previously unstoppable Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga last season, Eintracht Frankfurt have endured a dramatic decline during the 2025-26 campaign. Their winless streak across all competitions stretched to six matches (three draws, three losses) on Saturday, as a second league goal from Nottingham Forest loanee Arnaud Kalimuendo-Muinga was not enough to prevent a 3-1 home defeat to Hoffenheim.

Turning to European competition, Frankfurt have managed just one win from their first seven league phase matches, leaving them languishing in 33rd place with only four points—four adrift of Olympiacos in the top 24. With their European journey set to conclude on Wednesday, Dennis Schmitt’s side will be eager for a morale-boosting victory at Deutsche Bank Park, where they have won just once in their last five competitive games.

Frankfurt’s struggles have been compounded by the absence of Jonathan Burkardt, who scored 10 goals in 17 matches before a calf injury sidelined him in late November.

Tottenham, meanwhile, failed to secure all three points in the Premier League for the fifth consecutive match on Saturday, needing a last-minute goal from centre-back Cristian Romero to rescue a 2-2 draw against relegation-threatened Burnley. The pressure is mounting on head coach Thomas Frank, who faces a daunting schedule with upcoming clashes against Manchester City, Manchester United, and Arsenal.

Despite domestic turbulence, the Champions League has offered Spurs some relief, with three wins in their last four European outings placing them fifth in the league phase standings. A win in Germany on Wednesday would guarantee Tottenham a top-eight finish, with World Cup winner Romero aiming to score for the fourth game in a row.

Tottenham’s impressive Champions League campaign has been built on a perfect home record, but the Lilywhites are yet to win on the road in Europe this season, drawing two and losing one of their three away fixtures.

Eintracht Frankfurt vs Tottenham Betting Tips

Both teams to score - 8/15 (Betfred)

Tottenham/Draw - 2/9 (Betfred)

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Tottenham Hotspur boss Thomas Frank was left with no choice but to drop Mathys Tel for their final two league‑phase Champions League games following Dominic Solanke's return from injury

Tottenham are reportedly pushing UEFA to expand Champions League squad limits after Thomas Frank was forced to omit Mathys Tel.

The £30million summer arrival was omitted from the squad ahead of the 2-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund to make room for Dominic Solanke's return from injury. He will also miss their final league‑phase clash against Eintracht Frankfurt in Germany on Wednesday night (8pm).

Tel was originally omitted from their Champions League squad in September due to a lack of homegrown players, which meant Frank couldn't fill a 25-man list. A rule change in December opened the door for his return after Solanke's injury.

However, with Solanke now fit again, Tel has been forced out once more as Frank can only select one of them for Spurs' final two games of the league-phase.

According to City AM, Spurs sporting director Johan Lange is said to have raised the issue with Uefa as well as other Premier League clubs in a bid to gain more support.

It's believed that Arsenal and Chelsea have been the 'most receptive' so far.

However, some European rivals are said to oppose the idea, fearing it would further strengthen the advantage afforded by England's financial muscle.

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Speaking about the situation, Frank previously said: "Of course, it’s very tough for Mathys. Just to make it clear, as I understand, my challenge was it could only be him or Dom.

"I couldn't sub another player out. If so, I would have done it. Mathys has done well for us in many, many ways.

"It was him or Dom, and I chose Dom because, as I said, experience. He did, luckily, very well. But that's not the same as [saying] I don't like Mathys at all, he's started four of the last five.

"That's a clear signal that I also trust him and believe that he can do something good for the team and the club."

A win against Frankfurt would send Spurs into the last 16, and Frank would then be permitted to make up to three squad changes before 5 February, though he still cannot exceed the 25‑man A‑list limit for players born before 2004.

Any team with fewer than eight homegrown players must operate with a reduced squad size.

Tottenham could make more moves in the January transfer window after selling Brennan Johnson to Crystal Palace and signing England international midfielder Conor Gallagher

Tottenham Hotspur enter the closing stages of the winter transfer window with considerable business still to complete.

Despite promising results in the Champions League, the domestic form under Thomas Frank tells a contrasting tale - particularly at home. Spurs have won just two of their 11 home league fixtures.

That run has left manager Frank facing mounting pressure just months after replacing Ange Postecoglou. The correct acquisitions in the window's final moments could potentially transform their fortunes, though.

There was heavy investment over the summer, with Mohammed Kudus and Xavi Simons moving to North London as part of a £170million outlay. Yet they have been hampered by an evident shortage of creativity with Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison absent through injury so far.

Conor Gallagher has been the only new addition at the time of writing, with Brennan Johnson leaving for Crystal Palace. Spurs remain in need of reinforcements in January, despite transfer chief Fabio Paratici's imminent exit, so here's an examination of their potential activity.

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Sign Maghnes Akliouche

French winger Akliouche attracted attention from numerous clubs during the summer, but Monaco's substantial valuation seemingly discouraged some of the interested parties. That figure is now understood to stand at a more manageable £43million, potentially paving the way for Spurs to swoop.

We revealed earlier this month that Monaco were exploring potential successors for the 23-year-old, who grabbed his senior France strike in a November victory over Azerbaijan. He can function on the right flank or in a deeper role behind the forward, positioning him as a perfect option to compensate for Johnson's departure and Kudus' fitness concerns.

Monaco, like Spurs, have struggled to find rhythm in the league. A move to England might offer a way for him to star in a new environment while remaining part of his country's World Cup plans.

Agree Pedro Porro contract extension

Spanish full-back Porro became a permanent Spurs player in summer 2023 for a sum approaching £40m following a brief loan spell from Sporting CP. He penned a five-year agreement at that time, meaning only two seasons will remain on his terms beyond this summer.

Transfermarkt estimates his worth at approximately £35m, though these valuations tend to decline as a player's contract nears expiration. It would be sensible to arrange an extension for the 26-year-old and stay ahead of any potential offers, considering his dependability in defence.

Porro has appeared in 106 of Spurs' 116 league matches since joining the club, making 97 starts, with a weekend setback meaning he's on course for a first prolonged spell on the sidelines since his arrival.

Secure exits for duo

The departure of Wales international Johnson has raised some money but additional funds could be generated through other sales. Radu Dragusin has only just returned following 11 months sidelined with an ACL injury, yet there remains possible interest in the Romanian defender.

Dragusin, who joined two years ago in a £26.7m move, could do with playing time as he looks to help Romania book a place in the World Cup via March's play-offs. The ex-Genoa defender still has interest from clubs across the continent despite his lack of recent minutes, with reports in Italy indicating AC Milan could potentially provide him with the game time he needs.