Europa League Preview – Dinamo Tbilisi V Spurs

Article by Paul Glanfield (UK)

Spurs embark on their 4th successive European campaign on Thursday evening. Due to the slimmest of margins at the end of last season their trip is to Georgia in the Europa League whilst their neighbours Arsenal face a Wednesday evening date in Turkey as they attempt to qualify for the Champions League.

The Europa League still remains somewhat of a poisoned chalice in the eyes of many, particularly in England. In fact, it is easy to forget sometimes that qualification for the tournament is actually awarded for a degree of success in the previous campaign. The tournament’s stature pales in comparison to the Champions League, not helped by the fact it parachutes in failing Champions League group stage teams for the knock-out phase.

Given Tottenham’s general share of misfortune in the pursuit of Champions League qualification down the years, it would be arguably nailed on that they are destined to win this year’s Europa League given it is the last time the victors of the tournament will not receive an automatic Champions League qualification spot.

Andre Villas-Boas now has a squad capable of progressing in the Europa League whilst also performing well in the Premier League and it can be expected that he will take the competition with a similar degree of seriousness to that which saw him lead Spurs to the quarter-finals last season. Given the signings Spurs have made this summer to date and the promise of more to come, it is likely that even with rotation the Spurs side competing in the early rounds of the Europa League is going to be packed full of quality.

The argument will persist as to whether taking the Europa League seriously is a good decision or not, but the competition offers Villas-Boas the opportunity to give his fringe players a share of game time and blood the squad in general with continued European football experience. Spurs also have a genuine chance of winning the competition, even though 53% of Tbilisi fans on the clubs official website back their team to see off the North Londoners at the

qualification round stage. Perhaps Spurs fans should take a similarly positive outlook on the competition as a whole and see this year’s competition as something to relish as a side story to what looks like being a potentially special league campaign under Villas-Boas and his quickly amassing array of stars.

Without the Champions League qualification fallout in the mix nor of course knowledge of which Champions League group stage sides will be joining the Europa League later in the season, Spurs currently sit as the bookies favourites to win the competition above such names as Fiorentina, Valencia, Lazio, Sevilla, Spartak Moscow, Udinese, Feyenoord and Dinamo Kiev. Despite the anti-Europa League sentiments entrenched into the English way of thinking, the opportunity to compete with such names and lift silverware gives Spurs the opportunity to continue the progression of the last decade and return the club to it’s glory glory days once more.

The road to this year’s final in Turin begins in Tbilisi, Georgia on Thursday evening.

COYS

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