Monday was a very busy day in the world of football, what with the Ballon d’Or winner being announced on the same day as the Champions League and Europa League draws.
For Tottenham, who were knocked out of the elite European competition after finishing third in their group, the day was made a bit better when the name of KAA Gent came out of the ball, with the Belgian side one of the smaller clubs Spurs could’ve faced.
Furthermore, the prospect of not having to travel too far for the fixtures will have appeased Mauricio Pochettino’s worries, with the manager making it clear the London side will do their utmost to win the competition if possible.
Over in Belgium, you might have expected a few groans, with Tottenham a tough opponent for the Jupiler Pro League side, but the response was anything but.
Het Nieuwsblad newspaper used it as an excuse to celebrate Tottenham’s Belgians, with Toby Alderweireld, Jan Vertonghen and Mousa Dembele all very popular in their home country. It wasn’t the only positive slant in the Belgian media.
Speaking to DH, the club’s president Ivan De Witte made it clear the draw couldn’t have been any better, and they’re looking forward to the match against Tottenham.
He said: “It was the club I wanted us to play against. Speaking to the players, I quickly realised they were thinking the same. We will all be delighted to play against a top Premier League side, even if we know it will be very difficult for us. Furthermore, it’ll be at Wembley, where a lot of the fans will travel to.”
Gent, who were in the Champions League themselves last season, are currently fifth in their league, with 32 points after 18 games, three points behind leaders Zulte Waregem.
