Frank's Injury Woes Mount as Tottenham Prepare for Vital Champions League Tie
Thomas Frank's preparations for Tottenham Hotspur's crucial Champions League encounter at Eintracht Frankfurt have been severely disrupted by a combination of injuries and an unexpected car accident involving two key players. The Tottenham manager confirmed that Pedro Porro and Micky van de Ven will miss Wednesday night's match, while Randal Kolo Muani and Wilson Odobert were delayed after a motorway incident.
Defensive Blow for Spurs
Pedro Porro has been ruled out for approximately four weeks after sustaining a hamstring injury during Saturday's Premier League draw at Burnley. The Spanish full-back was substituted at half-time and will now face a significant period on the sidelines. Meanwhile, central defender Micky van de Ven has also been ruled out of the Frankfurt trip, though Frank described his issue as "a minor thing" that could see him return for Sunday's Premier League clash against Manchester City.
Frank provided some reassurance about Van de Ven's specific problem, confirming it was not a recurrence of the hamstring issues that plagued the Dutch international last season. The manager did not specify the exact nature of the injury but expressed optimism about his availability for the weekend fixture.
Motorway Incident Delays Players
In a separate development that further complicated Tottenham's travel plans, Randal Kolo Muani and Wilson Odobert were involved in a motorway incident while traveling from the club's training ground to Stansted Airport for the team flight to Germany. Social media images showed the players standing beside a black Ferrari with significant front-end damage.
It is understood that Kolo Muani's vehicle suffered a tyre blowout on the M25 motorway. Odobert, who was following in a separate car, stopped to check on his teammate. Both players missed the scheduled team flight and had to arrange alternative travel to Frankfurt later on Tuesday evening.
"Kolo Muani and Wilson Odobert are both fine," Frank confirmed. "Unfortunately they were both involved in a minor accident ... everyone else involved in that accident was fine. It was a tyre blowing up and so the two of them are a little bit delayed. But they will land later tonight. I fully expect both to be available for tomorrow."
Squad Depth Tested to the Limit
The injury crisis leaves Frank with severely limited options, with the manager revealing he has only eleven available outfield players for the Frankfurt encounter. This comes at a particularly challenging time for Tottenham, who have won just two of their last fourteen Premier League matches and currently sit fourteenth in the table.
There was some positive news on the selection front, with João Palhinha returning from injury and Pape Sarr available again after illness. However, the defensive absences present a significant challenge against a Frankfurt side that, despite their own difficulties, will be looking to exploit Tottenham's vulnerabilities.
Champions League Provides Welcome Distraction
Despite their domestic struggles, Tottenham have found some respite in the Champions League, where they currently sit fifth in their group. A victory against Frankfurt would guarantee direct qualification for the last sixteen, offering a much-needed boost to a club experiencing a difficult period.
"I'm very happy that the team and club are in a position where, with a win tomorrow, we can finish top eight in the best club tournament in the world," Frank said. "Those results and some of those performances are also what we need to take going forward and build on that."
Parallels with Previous Season
The situation bears striking similarities to Tottenham's visit to Frankfurt last season during their Europa League campaign. Then-manager Ange Postecoglou was under similar pressure with the team struggling in fifteenth position in the Premier League. That night, Tottenham secured a 1-0 victory that ultimately helped save Postecoglou's job and propelled them toward winning the competition.
Frank finds himself in a comparable position, needing a positive result to alleviate mounting pressure from supporters who have become increasingly vocal about their dissatisfaction with recent performances.
Opposition in Disarray
Tottenham's opponents arrive at this match in their own state of turmoil. Eintracht Frankfurt recently sacked manager Dino Toppmöller and have placed under-21 coach Dennis Schmitt in temporary charge. The German side have lost their last two matches under Schmitt's leadership, including a dramatic 3-2 defeat to Qarabag in the Champions League after leading 2-1 with ten minutes remaining.
Frankfurt currently sit fourth from bottom in their Champions League group with just four points and cannot qualify for the knockout stages. Their defensive record has been particularly concerning, having conceded three goals in each of their last five matches across all competitions.
Despite these difficulties, Frank acknowledged the challenge ahead: "It's my job to look a little bit in the bigger perspective. Even though we haven't won as much as we want, it's [only] very, very few things that need to go our way, the small margins. We need to keep doing the right thing."
The match represents a critical juncture in Tottenham's season, with Frank hoping his depleted squad can overcome adversity and secure the victory that would guarantee progression in Europe's premier club competition.
