Tottenham Hotspur will face a familiar face on Thursday night when Roma visit in the Europa League. Ange Postecoglou’s side remain in the top eight of the new European competition format and will be eager to build on their recent momentum. The man in the opposition dugout needs little introduction – Claudio Ranieri, the mastermind behind Leicester City’s miraculous Premier League title win in 2016, ending a 132-year wait for top-flight glory.
Tottenham will face several challenges on Thursday, especially without Guglielmo Vicario, who will be out for months. However, Roma manager Claudio Ranieri has already acknowledged the difficulties his side will encounter, specifically warning his players about one key aspect ahead of the match in north London. Speaking to the media, the 73-year-old, a former Premier League winner, expressed his admiration for Tottenham’s form under Ange Postecoglou.
What Claudio Ranieri warned Roma about Tottenham
Roma’s newly-appointed manager admitted that he has studied Tottenham’s attacking style, describing it as a “powerful car going full throttle.” He emphasized to his players the importance of being tactically sharp, as Tottenham can quickly regain possession when they lose the ball, urging them to move it around swiftly.
Tottenham received widespread praise for their dominant victory over Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium. Roma’s Mats Hummels also expressed his admiration for Spurs during the press conference alongside his manager.
The newly appointed remains cautious as he explained,
“No, I’ve never been here before. We’ve studied Tottenham. I like the way they attack, like a powerful car going full throttle,”
“I’ve told my players that we must be tactically astute. When we have the ball, they’re capable of snatching it off us so we have to move it around quickly.”
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Tottenham have struggled in their recent encounters with Claudio Ranieri, failing to win any of the last four meetings, with their last victory against him coming back in 2016. Despite the ongoing injury concerns within the squad, Postecoglou has praised Ben Davies for his leadership in stepping up during the absence of key players. If Spurs approach the match with the same confidence and determination they showed in their victory over Manchester City, it could be a comfortable outing for them.
