UEFA Champions League Preview: Tottenham Hotspurs vs. BSC Young Boys
The last English Premier League season for the Tottenham Hotspurs was a dream. In what was his second season with the Spurs, Redknapp broke into the “top four” of the league, having a chance to bring the UEFA Champions league football title to the Spurs for the very first time. So one safely say that the team under Redknapp has shown a lot of promise and synergy which was needed to participate in such a contest – competed by some of the very best in the business.
Now the manager expects his side to come back from a 3-2 deficit when they host the Swiss runner ups at White Hart Lane. The aggregate winner of both these legs would qualify for the UEFA Champions’ league group stage. The team will then have a chance of European glory in the Champions league.
When the Spurs travelled to Switzerland last week to play the Young Boys, the Londoners were dominated in the first hour of the game. The home side managed to fire 3 past goalkeeper Gomes to be in firm control of the match. However, the Spurs sought a comeback in the final half hour where the team was able to fire 2 back to take the score line to a respectable 3-2. Goals from Sebastien Bassong and Roman Pavlyuchenko gave the Spurs a ray of hope as they will now look to make a comeback from the deficit when they host Young Boys at White Hart Lane.
The manager expects the game to be a difficult one but believes that by scoring two goals have given them a great chance of progressing forward. The manager would be without Luka Modric for this important tie, as the player is recovering from a prolonged injury. Redknapp added that he was happy that his side only conceded goals on three occasions and the hosts could easily have thrashed the Spurs 4, 5 or even 6-0 on the night. The manager claimed that the Swiss played an impressive 30 minutes during the first half, but still managed well to pull one back just before the interval. In the second half, however, the manager stated that his side was in control once again. Redknapp stated that the Swiss runner ups were still very dangerous on the counter attack, signalling towards their 1-0 win over Fenerbahce on the away leg.
Spurs are in a better position as they have scored 2 away goals against the side. One more goal on home soil would see them through on aggregate. Consequently, the manager is convinced that his side can manage to win the match on aggregate but insists that he would want to dominate the match. The manager claimed that his side would have to go at the visitors and take them by storm from the start. Redknapp added that his side does have the player who can split through the defences almost at will and expects a win for the Spurs today. The 63-year-old claimed that if his side plays to its potential, they can overcome any opposition at White Hart Lane.
Over at the Swiss camp, manager Vladimir Petkovic expects the Spurs to bring their A game against his side but remained steadfast that his side can stay firm. The manager claimed that the Londoners shouldn’t underestimate his side, even though they play on home soil, as he aims to create a lot of problems for Tottenham on Wednesday. The 47-year-old manager claimed that he knew what was coming at them and has prepared his side in advance. Petkovic would be without Emiliano Dudar and Hassan Lingani, who are still recovering from injury.
"Spurs will go full throttle from the start and try to score the first goal, but we know how to defend and will try to attack ourselves. We are capable of doing that as seen a week ago. It would be a bad idea only to defend the result from the first match,” stated the Young Boys manager. Tottenham would be looking to take the early lead and would thus be expected to come at the Swiss side with all guns blazing. They should be careful, though, as Young Boys would be looking to attack on the counter and catch the hosts unaware.
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