Tottenham Hotspur booked their place in the Europa League semi-finals for the first time since 1984 with a gritty 1-0 win away to Eintracht Frankfurt, sealing a 2-1 aggregate victory.
Dominic Solanke was the match-winner, calmly converting a penalty in the 43rd minute after James Maddison was brought down by goalkeeper Kaua Santos. The goal, Solanke’s first in 12 matches, came at a crucial moment in a high-pressure second leg at Deutsche Bank Park.
Despite missing further chances to double their lead, Spurs defended resolutely in the second half. Eintracht Frankfurt pushed forward in waves, but Ange Postecoglou’s men held firm to keep their Europa League dream alive.
Postecoglou’s Post-Match Reaction
Ange Postecoglou, who had openly acknowledged the pressure he was under before the match, gave a defiant and passionate post-match interview:
"I said yesterday, I am the same manager today that I was yesterday. So if people think us winning tonight makes me a better manager or whoever thinks I wasn’t doing a good job yesterday, they should be feeling the same way.
I don’t care, it doesn’t bother me, it doesn’t affect what I do. For me, it’s always about the dressing room. Do the players believe? Do the staff believe? That’s much more important than what others may make of me."
"So, unfortunately for a lot of you, you’re going to have to put up with me for a little bit longer, mate, so let’s see how that goes."
Postecoglou also praised his players’ mentality and effort:
"Super proud of the lads. Going away from home, a quarter-final against a very good side, you know you’re going to have to work really hard, be really disciplined and we needed to score.
We had to show the quality we had as well. To a man I just thought they were outstanding."
Full Match Stats: Frankfurt vs Tottenham (17 April 2025)
| Statistic | Eintracht Frankfurt | Tottenham Hotspur |
|---|---|---|
| Goals | 0 | 1 |
| Possession | 60% | 40% |
| Total Shots | 13 | 9 |
| Shots on Target | 5 | 2 |
| Passes Completed | 459 | 282 |
| Corners | 8 | 7 |
| Clearances | 34 | 55 |
| Fouls | 6 | 10 |
| Yellow Cards | 3 | 3 |
Tottenham’s disciplined, resilient display in Frankfurt confirmed their progress to the final four of the Europa League. Ange Postecoglou’s side now turns their attention to a semi-final clash with Bodø/Glimt in May, as they continue their push for a first major trophy since 2008.
If Spurs manage to win the Europe League, should Ange stay?
1 Comment (last comment by Adem)
First read message
By Adem 18 Apr 2025 08:48
even if he doesn't win it, he should stay. Who else is going to take over? I don't know any manager who's available right now that's good enough. He had very much bad luck during the season with injuries to cope.
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