It does seem hilarious that a team which finished in the very last spot above relegation last season qualified for this season’s UEFA Champions League, but here we are. Tottenham finished 17th (but also 14 pts away) from the drop last term, but they were in the Europa League tournament, and they did win that competition, so hey, the rules are the rules. And although they are obviously considered one of the weaker sides in this year’s tournament, their Champions League draw does not reflect that.
Quite the contrary, as Tottenham actually got a favorable draw, befitting a very strong side.
AFC Bournemouth at Tottenham Hotspur FYIs
Kickoff: Saturday. Aug 30, 3pm, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, UK
Tottenham Preview Material: Starting Lineup Prediction Team News
According to CBS Sports’ strength of schedule metric, which is based on Opta’s team rankings, Spurs have only the 34th most (out of 36) challenging slate in the league phase.
Take a look below
Champions League Draw, Confirmed Fixtures
Home: Borussia Dortmund, Slavia Prague, Copenhagen, Villarreal
Away: Paris Saint-Germain, Eintracht Frankfurt, Bodo/Glimt, Monaco
Honestly, the only thing that truly stands out there as a massive challenge is obviously the trip to PSG.
Taking on the holders, at their place, will be a tall order, but otherwise, not too much here is all that daunting. Looks like Thomas Frank really lucked out here.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter