Mauricio Pochettino: ‘We can win the domestic, European double this season’

“This is a super draw, exactly what we imagine for the Europa League and what we wanted after Porto”, said Hummels.

Midfield: Mousa Dembele has been ruled out with a groin injury while Tom Carroll is also struggling with an Achilles injury so Ryan Mason is favourite to keep his place alongside Eric Dier in midfield.

Tottenham Hotspur easily handled Serie A side Fiorentina Thursday night at White Hart Lane 3-0 to advance in the Europa League.

Swansea are the first of three opponents in a gruelling six days for Spurs, with West Ham and Arsenal to follow, then Manchester United, Liverpool and two legs against Borussia Dortmund also to come in the next six weeks.

With Hugo Lloris fit after missing two matches with a shoulder injury, Michel Vorm is set to make way for the skipper in goal. Bayer Leverkusen’s slick, counterattacking football left Sporting Lisbon for dead in the previous round of the competition, and this time, they play another Iberian club in Villareal.

Spurs don’t have a great record against Italian sides in European competitions with the London outfit winning just four previous games in fifteen outings. They’re a young team, and they’re a very hungry team and every time they go out they want to try to impose themselves. I’m backing Harry Kane for the opener.

The test will allow Tottenham to see how good they really are and push them to their limits as they look to compete in the Champions League next season.

The first leg ended 1-1 at the Stadio Artemio Franchi, meaning the Viola need to score at least one goal tonight to have any chance of progressing to the Round of 16.

The defeat to Palace ended Tottenham’s eight-match unbeaten run, which included seven consecutive victories, and Pochettino admits his side face a crucial juncture in maintaining their momentum.

Just before the Europa League draw today in Nyon, Switzerland, if you’d ask most Tottenham fans who they wanted to play in the Round of 16 they would’ve said “anyone but Dortmund”.

Pochettino did lament the yellow card given to Dele Alli for diving.

“We have a plan for the future but the focus is always on the next game”.