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Villarreal centre-back Rafa Marin has admitted that he was very excited when the Champions League draw came out, and he cannot wait to begin the campaign away at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
With Spurs securing a win in the London derby against West Ham United on Saturday, attention now shifts to the Champions League, with the Lilywhites back in the competition after a two-year absence.
The new format of the Champions League means Tottenham’s fixture list is extremely challenging over the next few months.
The Spurs squad will undoubtedly be put through the stress test, and Thomas Frank will have to rotate smartly, given that there are no easy games in the Champions League.
Villarreal star is ready to lock horns with Tottenham
Spurs begin their campaign with what they will see as four winnable fixtures, but they have a hard end to the league phase, with Paris Saint-Germain, Slavia Prague, Borussia Dortmund and Eintracht Frankfurt being the final four opponents.
The Lilywhites will thus want to begin with three points at home against Villarreal, but Rafa Marin admits that he and his teammates have no fear coming to N17.
When asked about beginning their Champions League campaign with fixtures against Tottenham and Juventus, Marin told AS (as relayed by Sport Witness): “There are two big games coming up. They’re special matches we’re eagerly awaiting. It’s incredibly motivating for a player to be able to play these types of games.
“It’s true that playing at home makes you feel stronger and better, but I think we’re a team that won’t back down away from home.
“When the draw was over and I saw the opponents we were facing, my hair stood on end. For anyone who loves football, being able to play in a competition like this and against opponents like these is very important. They’re great teams, but it’s 11 against 11, so we’ll see.”
Tottenham’s record against Spanish sides in Europe is concerning
While the North Londoners will believe they can beat the Yellow Submarine at home on Tuesday, there is one stat that may worry Tottenham fans.
Spurs have won only one of their 13 games against La Liga sides in Europe, which is not a good omen for the club ahead of the clash.
Villarreal have made a strong start to the season, currently sitting in fifth place in the table, and Tottenham will thus have to bring their A-game to make a winning start to the competition.
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