SPURS PLAYERS TOO YOUNG TO COMPETE IN EUROPE: GALLAS

WILLIAM Gallas believes Tottenham’s youthful squad will serve to hinder the side in next season’s Champions League campaign.

With one of the youngest squads in the Premier League, Tottenham lack the experience of their rivals. Gallas, who spent three years at the club, has argued that this will hold them back on Europe’s main stage.

Mauricio Pochettino’s men finished second in the Premier League last season, earning wide praise for their performances and consistency, but struggled to recreate their domestic form in the Champions League.

Tottenham were knocked out of the competition in the group stages, managing just two victories from six games, and fared no better in the Europa League where they were eliminated by Belgium’s Gent.

And Gallas has said that despite the progress enjoyed by the club in the past two years, Spurs will continue to struggle in Europe next season.

“It was a big shame what happened to them last season but this Tottenham squad is a little too young for the Champions League,” he said. “Against Monaco and Bayer Leverkusen in the group games, it showed that they ne e d e d more experience.

“The Champions League is different from the Premier League. You need experience, you need to be more clever and stay focused.

“If you compare our squad back then with now, we had many older and more experienced players.”

Tottenham also have the added consideration of playing at Wembley for the entirety of next season.

The side managed just one win from five attempts at the national stadium and questions have been raised abut whether Pochettino’s men can adapt to their temporary home for the 2017/18 campaign.

“Hopefully, they will have learned from last season’s experience – and be better for it,” Gallas added.

Meanwhile, Tottenham suffered a setback ahead of their one-season tenure at Wembley after the Premier League said they cannot alter the dimensions of the playing surface.

Spurs will play home matches at the 90 000-capacity national stadium before moving to a new 61 500seat home stadium, which will be ready for the 2018-19 campaign.

The Times reported last month that Tottenham were hoping to reduce the pitch size at Wembley to suit their high-pressing game, but were told in a meeting of 20 Premier League chairmen that such a change would not be permitted.

Pochettino’s side will need to adapt to a 105 metres by 69 metres playing area at Wembley, the largest in English top-flight football next season.

They won only one of five games at the venue, which they used for home European matches, last season. – Reuters & The Independent