Son absence compounds Tottenham’s problems ahead of Frankfurt showdown

Tottenham Hotspur’s Europa League quarter-final second leg against Eintracht Frankfurt on Thursday night will be the defining moment of their season.

With the aggregate score tied at 1-1 following the first leg, Spurs head to Deutsche Bank Park needing a win to keep any hopes of success alive in what has otherwise been a dismal campaign.

They are 15th in the Premier League and are not in immediate danger of relegation, given the 16-point cushion that separates them from the bottom three.

But their position still reflects how far the club has fallen in recent months, with domestic ambitions completely unravelling.

This competition is now their only remaining opportunity for tangible success. And if they are to salvage anything, they must win in Frankfurt.

Manager Ange Postecoglou may downplay suggestions that his job is on the line, but the reality is that a meek exit from Europe would raise serious questions about the project.

“I don’t see it as salvaging the season,” he said in his pre-match press conference. “I see it as an opportunity to do something special.”

His message to the players was one of optimism – that reaching the final four of a major tournament remains a rare and significant achievement, regardless of their league form.

Spurs will have to chase that objective without their captain Heung-min Son, who has not recovered from a foot problem and did not travel with the squad.

“It’s a blow, but it’s consistent with everything else that’s happened this year,” Postecoglou added.

By contrast, Eintracht are approaching this tie from a position of strength. A 3-0 win over Heidenheim last weekend strengthened their grip on a top-four Bundesliga finish.

They have been even more convincing on the European stage at Deutsche Bank Park, where they have won four out of four without conceding.

Spurs have lost five of their last seven away games in Europe and come into this tie with six defeats in their last seven on the road in all competitions.

Their record in Germany is poor, and with the pressure mounting, Postecoglou needs a performance that lives up to his words.

Anything less, and Tottenham’s season – and perhaps his tenure – could effectively end.