Tottenham to Face Young Boys in Champions League Qualifier
English Premier League (EPL) outfit Tottenham Hotspur have been drawn against Swiss outfit Young Boys in a UEFA Champions League playoff. Spurs managed to avoid bigger names, such as Ukrainians Dynamo Kiev and French outfit Auxerre, in the draw.
Although Harry Redknapp’s side are looking to make it to the group stage of Europe’s elite club competition for the first time, Spurs took part in the European Cup, as it was then known, in 1962. The London club are making their debut in the Champions League this season and are entering the competition at this stage.
Poor form
Young Boys qualified for the playoff phase of the tournament after defeating Turkish outfit Fenerbahce 3-2 on aggregate in the third qualifying round. They have already begun their domestic season, so they may be the more match sharp of the two teams when they face each other, but their poor form so far – they have failed to win any of their three league games so far – may provide some optimism for their English opponents.
Redknapp told his club’s official website that: "There are no easy games at this level. They also have an astroturf pitch at their stadium and they play well on it, so it will be a tough game for us. We've got to try and get into the group stages, that would be fantastic for the club."
'Hardest draw'
Alain Baumann, sporting director of Young Boys, said that his club could not have been pitted against more difficult opponents. He said: "We are happy to play Tottenham. For Young Boys, it's a good draw but the hardest. For the spectacle, it's the best. We beat Fenerbahce but I think Tottenham are more difficult for us. We hope to have a little chance and this chance we will need to take."
The first leg of the double-header will take place at the Stade de Suiss in Berne on August 17th, while the return match will take place on August 25th at White Hart Lane.
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