5 hours ago
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Here's the Tottenham Hotspur team that we reckon Thomas Frank will select to face Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League
Thomas Frank has only one real decision to make with his starting XI as Tottenham face Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League on Tuesday but young starlets could get a chance as the game progresses.
The under-fire Spurs head coach needs a victory against the German side to stop a run of eight defeats in 14 matches but Frank must do so without 13 missing players. Out are the injured Joao Palhinha, Richarlison, Ben Davies, Mohammed Kudus, Rodrigo Bentancur as well as James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski.
Micky van de Ven is suspended while Conor Gallagher, Yves Bissouma and Radu Dragusin are ineligible, as is Mathys Tel now after coming back out of the squad for Dominic Solanke. Pape Matar Sarr has been at the Africa Cup of Nations as Senegal won the competition and was discharged from hospital in Morocco on Monday after falling ill during the final against the host side along with other players and staff.
"We have 11 [outfield] players available and we maybe have three players that need to push massively to get through 90 minutes physically," said Frank.
"So that’s why we need everyone to support us from minute one. All of us, especially the team, especially the players. Especially if it’s not going too well. We need them to support us, because if we do get that support everything can happen. Magic can happen. We have a good opportunity tomorrow, and we go all in for it."
The available senior outfield players Frank has are, in defence, Cristian Romero, Pedro Porro, Djed Spence, Destiny Udogie, Kevin Danso, in midfield Xavi Simons, Lucas Bergvall, Archie Gray and up front Solanke, Randal Kolo Muani and Wilson Odobert.
The only choice then comes with whether Djed Spence or Destiny Udogie, of fit enough, start at left-back and that means substitute opportunities for youngsters. A number of academy starlets trained with the team on Monday, including Luca Williams-Barnett, Tynan Thompson, Malachi Hardy, Callum Olusesi and Jun'ai Byfield among others.
Williams-Barnett, Thompson and Olusesi in particular could have a chance of making their Champions League debut, while Dane Scarlett will likely get minutes.
Here's the Tottenham team we reckon Frank will select:
(3-4-1-2) Vicario; Porro, Danso, Romero, Udogie; Gray, Bergvall; Kolo Muani, Xavi, Odobert; Solanke.
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