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Tottenham Hotspur play host to Greek side Olympiacos in the UEFA Champions League this week, and a victory – assuming Serbian side Crvena Zvedza fail to defeat Bayern Munich – will see the North London side qualify for the knockout stages of the competition with two matches to go.
Olympiacos, meanwhile, have little to no chance of getting through the group; they’re currently bottom of the table with their solitary point being the one they picked up against Tottenham in September’s draw.
This will also be Jose Mourinho’s first European game in charge of Spurs, and the Portuguese boss will no doubt be looking for an impressive victory over opposition who are almost certainly beatable.
Tottenham Hotspur vs Olympiacos Head-to-Head
While Tottenham have struggled domestically as of late, they’ve been a little steadier in Europe. Their 2-7 loss to Bayern Munich was bitterly disappointing – and may have sown the seeds for Mauricio Pochettino’s firing last week – but six points and nine goals against Crvena Zvedza have given them a great chance of heading into the knockouts.
Olympiacos may have had visions of sneaking through the group stage following their draw with Tottenham in the opening game of the campaign, but subsequent losses to Crvena and to Bayern Munich have largely torpedoed their chances.
Tottenham form guide (Champions League matches): D-L-W-W
Olympiacos form guide (Champions League matches): D-L-L-L
Tottenham Hotspur vs Olympiacos team news
Goalkeeper Hugo Lloris is still on the injured list following his freak elbow injury in October, while Erik Lamela was ruled out of this weekend’s win against West Ham with a thigh injury and is unlikely to be involved on Tuesday. Ben Davies was forced off during the West Ham game, but the extent of his injury is unclear as of writing.
Jan Vertonghen and Tanguy Ndombele will both hope to be available for the game, but after missing Saturday’s match, both men will likely face a late fitness test before Jose Mourinho is able to call upon their services. Thankfully for Mourinho, none of his players are suspended for this game.
Injuries: Hugo Lloris (elbow), Erik Lamela (thigh)
Doubtful: Jan Vertonghen (hamstring), Tanguy Ndombele (groin), Ben Davies (unknown)
Tottenham Hotspur vs Olympiacos Predicted XI
Tottenham Hotspur Predicted XI: Paulo Gazzanigga, Serge Aurier, Davinson Sanchez, Toby Alderweireld, Danny Rose, Eric Dier, Harry Winks, Dele Alli, Heung Min Son, Lucas Moura, Harry Kane
Tottenham Hotspur vs Olympiacos Prediction
The bounce in form following Jose Mourinho’s appointment was evident for Tottenham at the weekend as they impressed in their victory over West Ham. Olympiacos gave them some issues in their previous match but realistically their team shouldn’t be strong enough to challenge a resurgent Spurs, particularly not in their home stadium. Expect this one to be an impressive beginning for Mourinho in this season’s Champions League campaign – with Harry Kane most likely adding to his goal tally.
Verdict: Tottenham Hotspur 3-0 Olympiacos
Also check out: UEFA Champions League Champions League tables
