'Business as usual' for Spurs, says Frank ahead of Champions League return
Tottenham make their long-awaited return to the Champions League on Tuesday as they take on Villarreal.
Thomas Frank believes it will be "business as usual" as he leads Tottenham into their first Champions League campaign since 2022-23, with Villarreal their opening opponents.
Spurs head into Tuesday's game off the back of a 3-0 win away at West Ham, their third victory in four Premier League matches under Frank.
The North Londoners have a particularly dismal record against Spanish opponents, winning just one of their last 13 matches against LaLiga sides, though this will be their first competitive meeting with Villarreal.
Tottenham have only won their opening game of a European Cup/Champions League campaign on two of their seven attempts, having drawn three and lost two.
However, those wins arrived on the last two occasions when they played their opener at home, 2-0 against Marseille in 2022 and 3-1 versus Borussia Dortmund in 2017.
Frank, who will oversee his first Champions League game as a head coach, discussed his approach to the competition at Monday's pre-match press conference.
"Now it's preparation, there's a few more cameras, but it's business as usual. When we all go out onto the pitch tomorrow, then it'll be special," he said.
"I believe I have a fantastic squad and we would like to go as far as possible. I think the most important thing is that it's one game at a time.
"Villarreal are a very good team. I've been very impressed when I've studied them, but we'll do everything we can to get a good start. It's going to be a good challenge.
"We want to try and win it. But the most important thing is to take one game at a time. That begins with Villarreal, a very good team.
"Huge respect for Marcelino. His team is well structured, well organised and they like to dominate as much as they can on the ball."
After signing a four-year deal last month, captain Cristian Romero is now looking to make his 15th appearance in Europe's premier competition, and his eighth for Spurs.
"We always focus on our jobs and our work. We have a great manager. We have a great defensive coach. We always want to improve," Romero said.
"If you take Bournemouth out, we've done well. We do our best no matter who we are playing against. It is always about increasing our performance and looking to improve."
