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· Preview of the home match between these teams
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Spurs' record in Europe:-

 
U.E.F.A Champions League
 
 P   W   D   L   F - A
12   5   3   4  25 -19
 
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/Europa League
 P    W   D   L   F - A
123  71  32  20  253-101 
 
(Winners 1972, 1984
 Finalists 1974)
 
Total
P    W   D   L   F - A
176 100 41  35  358-167



Europa League Group C
                  P  W  D  L  F-A  GD  PTS

Spurs             3  1  2  0  6-2   4   5
Besiktas          3  1  2  0  6-2   4   5
Asteras Tripolis  3  1  1  1  4-6  -2   4
Partizan          3  0  1  2  0-6  -6   1 

Let's have no Whoops Acropolis in Greece!

If you remember the good old days, before the Europa League and the latter stages of EUEFA Cup competitions, there was no such thing as a Group phase of the second tier European competition. It was knock-out stuff from the start of the competition, when you had to win on aggregate to proceed to the next round.

The scoreline in the first leg might have flattered Spurs (5-1), but in the old days we could have travelled to Greece with a warm comfortable and glowing confidence that we would be in the next round.

With a confident Asteras side only one point behind us in Group C, Spurs could really do with another win on Thursday night in Tripoli (not the one in Libya). The co-leaders of the group, Besiktas, thrashed Partizan Belgrade on their patch 4-0 last month, and will surely repeat the winning behaviour in Turkey, where we have to travel in December.

A draw for Spurs would possibly be enough to ultimately see us through to the Round of 32, but we really want to try and win this group, don't we? Three points here, and at home to Partizan Belgrade later this month would make the trip to Turkey before Christmas very interesting. (There's a gag there somewhere, but perhaps I'll work that out in time for that match!)

Remember when we played them at The Lane on October 23rd, Asteras were eighth in their league? Well now they have climbed to fifth, after a league win and a draw, plus a cup win over fourth placed Kalloni. The draw was on Saturday at home to second placed Olympiakos, who perhaps had their trip to Juventus in the Champions League on their mind.

Mauricio Pochettino played his strongest Europa League side yet in the home match, and a resilient performance will be required here.

I am travelling to Greece for this game (match report and website updates will be delayed till Friday evening), and it is far too early for any serious team news. The injury situation should be no different following Sunday's win at Villa Park. Hugo Lloris awarded himself a day off with that red card at home, so Michel Vorm will be between the sticks with Brad Friedel presumably on the bench.

I would expect Eric Dier to start this one, following Kyle Naughton's return to the first team. Will a centre-back partnership of Fazio and Chiriches be enough for Spurs? Ben Davies will no doubt be at left back.

I'll do no more team predictions, but will comment on the strikers. All three will have to travel, I suspect. Despite the clamour for Harry Kane to start a Premier League game, I suspect that Adebayor will get the nod against Mark Hughes' Stoke cloggers, and that Harry will start this one. I repeat my fancy for a 4-4-1-1, with Kane perhaps operating with Soldado.

Let's hope there's no "Whoops Acropolis" for Spurs in Greece this week. I am looking forward to the trip and hope to be able to enhance your view of the game from ITV4's coverage. I'll try to get the post-match survey out asap after the game.

As for a prediction, I think we may have to be happy with a draw. Of course, as always, I hope for better.

The referee and his officials are from Spain. The man in the middle will be Javier Estrada, whose average card count looks high, with 29 in all in his last 4 Spanish League games. Senor Estrad's lowest recent card count was five, when he was in charge for England Under-21s' home win against Croatia. Harry Kane played 90 minutes, and Eric Dier played 45 minutes in that game.

· On this day (November 6th) 10 years ago Martin Jol took charge of Spurs, who lost 3-2 at home to Charlton.

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