Postecoglou rues ´fine margins´ of first leg as Spurs prepare to ´fight´ again in Frankfurt

Ange Postecoglou felt Tottenham’s luckless draw with Eintracht Frankfurt summed up their season but still hopes their fortunes will change in next week’s second leg.

The first leg of the sides’ Europa League quarter-final ended 1-1 despite Spurs dominating on Thursday.

Postecoglou’s men trailed to Hugo Ekitike’s superb opener but were deservedly level through Pedro Porro before the half-hour mark and should then have earned a first-leg advantage after half-time.

Yet Lucas Bergvall and Rodrigo Bentancur both hit the crossbar, while inspired Eintracht goalkeeper Kaua Santos finished with five saves, the last of them a sublime stoppage-time stop from Micky van de Ven.

“The second half we just totally dominated,” Postecoglou told Tottenham media. “On any other night, you walk away with a comfortable win.

“But it’s not going to be the season where anything’s given to us; we’re going to have to earn anything we get, and we’re going to have to go there and fight for our lives and get through.”

Injuries have wrecked Tottenham’s season, prompting long periods of poor form that have increased pressure on Postecoglou.

European glory would put a very different complexion on the campaign, and Spurs might have been a step closer if not for Santos’ heroics.

Kauã Santos. Phenomenal performance #UEL pic.twitter.com/J7KJCXnjRK

— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) April 10, 2025

“It is fine margins, but I’ve always had the belief that if you continue to perform, those fine margins eventually drop for you,” Postecoglou added.

“We’re certainly due something to drop for us, so hopefully that happens next week.”

Indeed, the Tottenham boss believes his team can repeat their performance in and gain a decisive outcome.

“It’s what I said to the boys: you can be disappointed with the result but not the performance,” he said.

“If we repeat that performance next week, we’ll give ourselves a great chance, and there’s no reason why we can’t.

“They’re not going to change their approach, we’re not going to change our approach, so we can go there and play in the same manner. The fine margins that go against us today hopefully go our way.”