Tottenham Hotspur’s midweek heroics have set up a Champions League semi-final clash with Dutch side Ajax, with the North London outfit 180 minutes away from club football’s biggest game.
While the Eredivisie side will be no pushovers and have already eliminated Real Madrid and Juventus, Spurs fans would certainly have accepted this enviable scenario at the start of the season.
However, one major concern for Mauricio Pochettino and Tottenham is fixture pile-up and scheduling.
Spurs are pushing to finish in the Premier League top four to ensure a place at Europe’s top table again next season, while also having the distraction of the glamour Ajax ties.
But, Pochettino is going to have to stretch his thinning squad to its limits, with the domestic football authorities doing nothing to help.
While it has been announced that Ajax’s domestic Eredivisie fixtures in the build-up to their games against Tottenham will be postponed, Spurs do not have such a luxury.
The second leg in Amsterdam promises to be an issue.
Tottenham are due to travel to Bournemouth for a Monday night Premier League clash on May 6 at the Vitality Stadium – two days before facing Ajax in Holland on Wednesday, May 8.
Surely the Premier League want its representatives in Europe to excel and succeed?
Changing the date of the Bournemouth game should be a no-brainer – other European countries’ football associations are helping their clubs, why should Spurs have to play two massively important away games in three days?
Really, Tottenham’s trip to the south coast should be pushed back to the Saturday to give Spurs the best chance possible of succeeding in Holland – but, something tells me it won’t be.