· NEW! - See the current injury list for all Premiership Teams!

Spurs record in Europe:-

European Cup
P   W   D   L   F - A
8   4   1   3  21 - 13

(Semi-Finalists 1962)

European Cup Winners Cup

P   W   D   L   F - A
33  20  5   8  65 - 34

(Winners 1963)

UEFA Cup
P   w   D   L   F - A
63 40  13  10  141- 43 

(Winners 1972, 1984
 Finalists 1974)

Total
P    W   D   L   F - A
104 64  19  21  227- 90


Group B Table - Rd 2 (4)
                  P  W  D  L  F-A  Pts
1. Spurs          3  3  0  0  6-1   9
2. D. Bucuresti   3  2  1  0  5-3   7
3. Besiktas       3  1  0  2  3-5   3
4. Club Brugge    4  0  2  2  4-7   2
5. B. Leverkusen  3  0  1  2  2-4   1

Other remaining fixture:
Bayer Leverkusen v Besiktas

Anyone who reads this and doesn't already know that Spurs play Dinamo Bucuresti this Thursday for the honour of winning Group B in Round Two of the UEFA Cup must have been on another planet! After all, THFC have been desperately trying to sell their remaining tickets for a game they priced as Cat A, as long ago as early October. Many season ticket holders withdrew from the auto-pay system on principal, after the club took their money over two months before a game that might have meant nothing. The fact that Spurs do still need one point from this game to ensure meeting a third placed UEFA Cup side, rather than a demoted Champions League side in the next round is not sufficient to justify Tottenham's pricing policy. If you see empty seats on the TV on Thursday, you know why, but I don't think there will be too many vacancies.

Spurs have had a marvellous series of games in this year's UEFA Cup, winning all 5 of their games, and conceding just one goal. The scorers of that goal - Club Brugge - have finished their prgramme of matches and cannot qualify. The other game this week features Bayer Leverkusen, desperate for a win over Besiktas in order to overtake the Turkish side for the remaining qualifying place.

What are Spurs chances? The Romanian side have been in devastating form in their League, winning 15 of their 17 games so far, losing only away to CFR Cluj, who are currently 4th in the 18-team "Divizia A". Our opponents have not played a League game since 26th November, and are on their winter break now. Bucaresti played their last competitive match against Bayer Leverkusen at the end of November (which they won), and perhaps they might have lost a little edge.

Top scorer for Bucaresti in League games is Romanian International Ioan Ganea, who has 12 goals from 16 league games. He has yet to score in the UEFA Cup. Ganea might be a familiar face as he spent a couple of seasons with Wolves, scoring 7 goals in 17 starts.

30 year old Claudiu Niculescu is second highest League scorer with 7 League goals, but with 8 in Bucaresti's 9 UEFA Cup games, Niculescu is clearly the one to watch, being the top scorer overall this season. Ionel Danciulescu is another one to watch, with 8 League and 5 UEFA Cup goals to his name.

Ganea and Niculescu are International strikers. Other International members of the Bucaresti team (predominantly Romanians) include defender Mihai Pascoici (who has not played since October), and midfielders Silviu Margaitescu and Corneliu Pulhac. Bucaresti also have a Ghananian right back - George Blay, as well as squad members from Belarus, Angola, Serbia and New Zealand.

Dinamo Bucaresti qualified for this year's tournament by virtue of their third place in the League. A much better guide to their level, has to be their performances against the other teams in this UEFA group. They beat Besiktas (at home) 2-1, drew away to Brugge, then beat Leverkusen 2-1 with both goals coming from Niculescu.

Our opponents do have some pedigree at home and in Europe, winning their League and Cup double in 2003-4, and beating Everyton last year to qualify for the Group stage of the Champions League. They have previously reached the semi-finals in the old European Cup.

I hope that there is a good crowd at White Hart Lane this Thursday. Those present should be driven to action by the appearance of Bucaresti, who will probably play in "Arsenal" red and white. Despite the need for that one point, Martin Jol might be tempted to switch one or two key positions in order to preserve the fitness of players for Sunday's away game at Manchester City.

Didier Zokora will be eligible for this game in the midst of his league suspension (will be completed with Man City and Southend) Perhaps Calum Davenport will replace Ledley King for this match, in order to keep Ledley fit for Sunday. Davenport will probably be required at Man City too, as Dawson should be serving a one-match suspension.

More specific team news will be released nearer the game, but in any case, I think this will be a tight match, and that Spurs might have to settle for the one point which would be sufficient for their objective of finishing top of the group

Follow @spursodyssey