Tottenham face brutal test in Germany after haunting Europa stat | OneFootball

Nothing's been solved. That's where we stand heading into the second leg between Tottenham and Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League quarterfinals. The 1-1 draw in England left everything the way things started, but now there's a little extra kick to it: pressure. And that pressure seems to impact both sides in different ways.

Tottenham hosted the match and couldn't get the scoreboard to acknowledge their work. They played better at times, had opportunities, applied pressure,  as described by head coach Ange Postecoglou, but walked away with a result that provides little peace of mind. A home draw is the type of result that gets in the back of your mind. Particularly when the history isn't on your side.

The weight of history

Tottenham Hotspur v Eintracht Frankfurt - UEFA Europa League 2024/25 Quarter Final First Leg | Shaun Botterill/GettyImages

In their past decade of European knockout games when Tottenham did not win the home game, they managed to qualify only once — against Ajax in the 2019 Champions League. The rest? All elimination. That is enough to cast a shadow over the English side.

And if we focus only on the knockout games versus German sides, things go really bad fast: six losses in their last seven meetings, and four of those without even getting a single one on the scoreboard. Their most recent big defeat was a 3-0 loss to RB Leipzig, yet again in a knockout tie. Tottenham appears to go into those games already having low expectations.

On the other hand, Frankfurt is riding high. They recently beat Heidenheim 3-0 in the Bundesliga, swapped players, and still dominated. That, of course, sets up nice vibes for this confrontation. Coach Dino Toppmöller called it the biggest game of his career and spoke about complete confidence in his team, his preparation, and the support of the fans. It's the kind of message that tells, yes, there is pressure, but there is also order and trust.

"With games like this, it is all about what you do on the day. All the players have to be 100%, and I am sure they will be. Also important: a good game plan, good intensity and a bit of luck. We are also banking on getting the home support. It is a massive game. It is definitely my largest game as a coach. We have faith in ourselves and our ability."

But that's not the end of it: the last time Frankfurt hosted Tottenham in a European elimination match, way back in the 1981/82 Cup Winners' Cup, Frankfurt won it 2-1. It's old news, but important to this historical context.

The strength of Deutsche Bank Park

Tottenham Hotspur v Eintracht Frankfurt - UEFA Europa League 2024/25 Quarter Final First Leg | Shaun Botterill/GettyImages

Comfortable in the Europa League, Frankfurt scores an average of two goals per game. That is no laughing matter. They've scored 55 goals in 27 games on home soil. When you put that into perspective, it's obvious, playing in Germany, in front of that crowd, is a whole different ball game. You can just not match it with the atmosphere of the first leg.

On top of everything else, the German team is seeking a third Europa League semifinal showing in the last six years. That's a big deal. It shows that they've figured out how to get it done in this competition. The only other team to reach the semifinals more times in those six years is Sevilla. That's something.

And as for Tottenham, the weight of history isn't nearly so complimentary. They're attempting to get to a European semifinal for the second time in the past seven seasons. Fine. But before that, they'd only done it twice in more than four decades. And when something is rare, every step seems more burdensome.