SaqTottenham are set to be without Cristian Romero for the start of their Europa League campaign later this month.
Spurs are back in continental competition this season for the first time in two seasons, since losing 1-0 on aggregate to AC Milan in the Champions League round of 16 under Antonio Conte in March 2023.
This is Tottenham’s first foray into the Europa League since the 2020/21 season, when they again fell in the round of 16 after being stunned 3-2 on aggregate by Jose Mourinho’s Dinamo Zagreb. Spurs played in the Conference League in 2021/22, but failed to progress beyond the group stage after their postponed match against Rennes due to a Covid-19 outbreak in the squad was later ruled out by UEFA.
Spurs are now set for a first European adventure under Ange Postecoglou, having failed to feature in Europe at all last season and ultimately finishing fifth in the Premier League in the Australian’s first season in charge – missing out on the fourth and final Champions League qualifying spot to Aston Villa.
UEFA has completely overhauled the Europa League this season, replacing the traditional group stage with a 36-team league stage, in which all clubs will play eight matches, four at home and four away. The top eight teams will qualify directly for the round of 16, while those finishing ninth to 24th will play a two-legged play-off round. Teams finishing 25th or lower will be eliminated from European football in the new year.
The draw for the new Europa League took place last week in Monaco, with Tottenham placed in Pot 1 alongside Manchester United and Rangers. Each team will face two clubs from each pot, including their own. Former Celtic manager Postecoglou is set to return to Glasgow to face Rangers at Ibrox, in addition to a high-profile home clash against Roma.
But for Spurs, the first fixture is the visit of Azerbaijani side Qarabag to north London on September 26, followed by games against Hungarian champions Ferencvaros and Dutch side AZ Alkmaar in October and a trip to Galatasaray before games against Roma and Rangers, which are followed by meetings with Hoffenheim and Elfsborg in the New Year.
The Qarabag game comes just three days before Tottenham travel to Old Trafford to face Manchester United in the Premier League, with the north London derby at home to Arsenal first after the first international break of the new season before a Carabao Cup third round meeting with Coventry and a home clash against Brentford.
Spurs are set to be without a key player against Qarabag in Romero, who is expected to be suspended for the game due to the sending off he received the last time Tottenham were in Europe.
The Argentina centre-back – currently on international duty with the world champions – was sent off for two yellow-card offences in March 2023 as Conte’s Spurs failed to overturn a 1-0 home deficit in their Champions League round of 16 tie against AC Milan, the second for a wild tackle on Theo Hernandez which followed an earlier booking for bringing down Rafael Leao.
Given that Spurs have not played in Europe since then, that one-match ban will carry over to this season, with football.london reporting UEFA’s confirmation that such a ban has not yet expired and can be carried over from the Champions League to the Europa League.
Postecoglou will be hoping Micky van de Ven will be back to full fitness by the time Qarabag visit in Romero’s absence, with the Dutch defender missing the 2-1 defeat at Newcastle last weekend with a knee problem sustained in the 4-0 win over Everton.
Spurs were also without strikers Dominic Solanke and Richarlison for that narrow defeat on Tyneside, due to ankle and muscle problems respectively.
Radu Dragusin replaced Romero against Newcastle and will likely do the same alongside Van de Ven against Qarabag.
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