Notebook – Spurs vs Eintracht Frankfurt

We return to Champions League action on this evening as we welcome Eintracht Frankfurt to north London (8pm UK).

Here in the Notebook, take a look at all the game’s key points of note…

1 – A crucial phase of the group stage

It’s getting close to crunch time in the UEFA Champions League group stages as just three games remain, however it is all still to play in Group D for as just three points separate us, Sporting CP, Marseille and this evening's opposition, Eintracht Frankfurt.

With our next two games both falling at home, if we are to progress to the knockout stages, the importance of this period can not be underestimated. Back in the 2018/19 season - the year in which we reached the competition's final, we saw just how important a double header of home games can be in getting through the group stages as, on Matchdays Four and Five, we defeated PSV Eindhoven (2-1) and Internazionale (1-0) at Wembley, significantly boosting our chances our qualifying for the round of 16.

2 – Home comforts

When playing at home in the Champions League group stages, we usually pick up a positive result. Of our last 11 home games at this phase of the competition, we have won nine of those matches, including each of our last three on the spin. In all competitions, we have won each of our last eight home matches on the spin.

3 – Eintracht in London

In contrast to our bright home showings, Eintracht have also enjoyed their trips to London in European competitions, having won on each of their last visits to our capital. Back in November, 2019, Die Adler headed to the Emirates to take on Arsenal in the Europa League and came away with a 2-1 win. Then, last season, they headed to the London Stadium to face West Ham in the semi-finals of that competition – that night they also came away with a 2-1 triumph.

4 – A long-standing record

In order to enjoy their night in north London though, Eintracht Frankfurt will have to break a 30-year-old record. Having taking victory in their first-ever Champions League away match, defeating Marseille on Matchday 2, Eintracht will be looking to make it two wins out of two on the road in the competition. That feat, however, is something that no German side in the history of the competition has managed to date.

In fact, with Eintracht having failed to win either of their home games this season, they could become the first team in Champions League history to see each of their first two victories in the competition come away from home.

5 – Hitting the target

Another thing the German side will be hoping to do in N17 is improve their goals return. So far in Group D, Eintracht have scored just one goal from 37 attempts – a 2.7 per cent conversion rate. Only Rangers and Copenhagen – the only teams yet to score in the competition this season – have a lower conversion rate.

6 – Defensive strengths

While they may have found problems in front of goal, bar their opening group game, Eintracht have proven a difficult side to breakdown. Since their Matchday 1 defeat to Sporting CP, Die Adler have not conceded a single goal, defeating Marseille 1-0 before earning a 0-0 draw with us. They could become the first side since Leicester City in 2016/17 to keep as many as three clean sheets in their opening four games if they shut us out tonight.

7 – Shock defeat to Bochum

Eintracht head into tonight’s game on the back of a surprise loss. Having been on quite the run in the Bundesliga prior to our meeting eight days ago, Die Adler headed to bottom of the table Vfl Bochum on Saturday and succumbed to a shock 3-0 defeat – it was Bochum’s first win of the season having lost seven of their previous eight. Making five changes to their starting XI which drew with us last Tuesday, Eintracht conceded all three goals in the final 19 minutes at the Ruhrstadion as they fell to their third defeat of the season.

8 – Richy rewards

Last time out at home in the Champions League, Richarlison got off the mark in our colours. As we faced Marseille on Matchday 1 in N17, our summer signing from Everton expertly headed home two crosses – efforts which saw him pick up the Player of the Match award on what was his debut not just in the Champions League, but in European football in general. He’ll be hoping he can add to his tally of goals this evening. If he were to score a brace, he would become only the second-ever Spurs player to score a brace in back-to-back home appearances in the competition, after Harry Kane.