Tottenham qualify for Uefa competition no English team has ever won – but may end up not playing in it

TOTTENHAM have qualified for the Uefa–Conmebol Club Challenge by winning the Europa League last month.
But due to a hectic schedule, the North Londoners may not have time to play it.
3
Spurs ended their 17-year trophy drought by winning the Europa League last month.
Their triumph will see them enter the Uefa Super Cup in August.
Tottenham will head to Udine in Italy to face Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain on August 13 in a bid to earn more silverware.
While the Super Cup is a well-known competition, previously won by several English clubs including Liverpool, Manchester United and Chelsea, not so much is known about the Uefa–Conmebol Club Challenge.
The revamped competition was launched two years as a follow-up to the previous Supercopa Euroamericana.
It sees the Europa League winners go up against the champions of its South American counterpart, the Copa Sudamericana.
In 2023, perennial Europa League winners Sevilla fittingly lifted its inaugural edition following a penalty shootout win over Independiente del Valle at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan.
The game did not take place last year, as Atalanta and Ecuadorian side Liga de Quito could not arrange a date.
BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK
3
This year's Copa Sudamericana winners were Argentine side Racing Club.
Their club president is former Inter Milan star Diego Milito, who reportedly wants to set up a date with Spurs.
Reports in Argentina suggest that a game could be put on in their country or the US.
But according to Football.London, Uefa chiefs feel that it will be difficult to find a slot in which to fit the game in.
Tottenham have already confirmed three pre-season friendlies set to take place in three different countries.
The Lilywhites will face rivals Arsenal in a controversial "friendly" match in Hong Kong on July 31.
They will then head to South Korea, where they will battle Newcastle United in Seoul.
From there they will head to Munich for their third pre-season friendly with Bayern since Harry Kane 's move to Bavaria, which will take place on August 7.
Thomas Frank is likely to be the man in the Spurs dugout, following Ange Postecoglou 's sacking last Friday.
SunSport revealed last night that the Dane has agreed to take over following talks over the weekend.
Frank, 51, wants to leave Brentford for Tottenham, while taking members of his backroom staff with him.
Spurs are currently advancing in talks over the Bees' compensation package.
3

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

BBC News

28 minutes ago

• BBC News

Will a South American team win the Club World Cup?

Flamengo boss Filipe Luis says a team from South America can win the Fifa Club World Cup after an impressive start to the tournament by clubs from Brazil and Botafogo defeated Champions League winners Paris St-Germain 1-0, fellow Brazilian side Flamengo came from behind to beat Uefa Conference League winners Chelsea are six teams from South America taking part in the new 32-team format - Palmeiras, Botafogo, Flamengo and Fluminense from Brazil, while Boca Juniors and River Plate are representing six are unbeaten after nine matches - with Palmeiras, Botafogo, Flamengo and River Plate topping their respective team from Brazil has won the Club World Cup since Corinthians beat Chelsea in the final of the 2012 edition. Since then all the winners have come from no team from Argentina has won the tournament since it was founded in 2000."First of all I'm surprised South American teams are unbeaten, because I know the quality of European football," said Flamengo boss Luis after masterminding a win over his former club Chelsea."Anybody can win. That's football. It wouldn't surprise me [if a South American team won it]." Played nine, won six, lost none Could the fact that it is mid-season in South America have anything to do with their good results so far?European teams went into the Club World Cup on the back of long top Group A with four points from two games, while Botafogo have won both their games in Group Juniors' only Group C game so far ended in a 2-2 draw with top Group D with six points from two games after wins over ES Tunis of Tunisia and River Plate's only game so far ended in a 2-0 win over Japan's Urawa Red Diamonds, while Fluminense held Borussia Dortmund to a 0-0 draw."I'm surprised at these results," added Luis."Sometimes the weather, they're not used to this, but the South American clubs are very competitive and not always the best win the Copa Libertadores. "There's different grass, altitudes, so we have a lot of adaptations and are used to that." 'I can compete with European players' Flamengo overturned a first-half deficit to defeat Chelsea 3-1, with second-half goals from Bruno Henrique, Danilo, and Wallace Yan securing their second win in the cause was helped by Nicolas Jackson's straight red card soon after the Chelsea substitute came of Flamengo fans, who have travelled to the United States to cheer on their side, celebrated wildly after the final whistle at Lincoln Financial Field."The players are waiting to show 'I can compete against European players'," former Flamengo midfielder Kleberson told team included former Chelsea midfielder Jorginho."We were really confident and we know in these big games the details make the difference," Jorginho told DAZN."Overall we were really good in the first half so we said at half-time, 'let's keep pushing'."We found the little spots that could hurt them." 'I made the right choice to stay in Brazil' Botafogo, the 2024 winners of the Copa Libertadores, pulled off the biggest surprise of the tournament so far with a 1-0 victory over European champions Paris St-Germain."One team was the champion of the Champions League, the other team was the champion of South America," said goalscorer Igor Jesus, who had been strongly linked with a move to Nottingham Forest earlier this year before opting to stay with the Brazilians to play in the Club World Cup."I think I made the right choice to stay in Botafogo," he added. Botafogo defended superbly to keep out Luis Enrique's side."This PSG side is a lesson to everybody in football and I told my guys to just be a team, enjoy, play together, attack together, defend together," added Botafogo boss Renato Paiva."We showed the quality of Brazilian players and the coaches."This is a victory of all the coaches that are working in Brazil, working with great players and Brazil will always be in world football."

Daily Mail​

35 minutes ago

• Daily Mail​

British and Irish Lions winners and losers after Andy Farrell's side fall to 28-24 defeat by Argentina - including one forward who had an outstanding display

After months of anticipation, the 2025 British & Irish Lions tour got off to a false start as Andy Farrell's side were beaten 28-24 by Argentina in Dublin. MailSport's Alex Bywater was at the Aviva Stadium to look at the players who stood out for head coach Farrell and who struggled to get going… Ellis Genge (prop) Genge really put down a marker. He anchored a Lions scrum that had dominance over the Argentinians – no mean feat given the Pumas pride themselves on their work in that area – and was also a marauding threat in the loose. Genge had a great carry in the build-up to Tadhg Beirne's second-half try. He looks like a man set for a big tour. Fin Smith (fly-half) Emulated his grandfather Tom Elliot by becoming a Lion and manipulated the Argentina defence well, creating one-on-one opportunities for his dangerous outside backs. A first look at the 2025 Lions suggested they will play with an Ireland-style pod system in attack. Smith had plenty of forward options to use on short lines, but also out wide. It was noticeable how the Lions backs were always attached to each pod. While Farrell's men were understandably far from perfect, Smith can be pleased with his outing. Tommy Freeman (wing) Scored in every round of the Six Nations for England and was a lively operator here, always looking for work. Farrell wants his wingers heavily involved all over the field and that suits Freeman down to the ground. Quick and powerful in the carry. Will be a key man Down Under. Sione Tuipulotu (centre) Hasn't played much this season and unfortunately, there was a degree of rust to his performance. Dropped one ball from Freeman. It would be harsh to blame a team's defensive struggles on one player alone, but the Lions were breached too often in his 13 channel. Probably better off at inside centre. Will definitely improve on this the more he plays. Luke Cowan-Dickie (hooker) Not a great birthday for the Sale hooker. Had an early try ruled out and struggled at line-out time. Too many of the Lions' throws went awry, with a couple overthrown. Cowan-Dickie did play a part in the strong Lions scrum but he was replaced early in the second half. Line-out didn't improve with Ronan Kelleher on in his place. British & Irish Lions: M Smith 5; Freeman 7.5, Tuipulotu 4, Aki 6 (Daly 60), Van der Merwe 6 (Hansen 60); F Smith 7, Mitchell 5.5 (Williams 50,7); Genge 8 (Schoeman 60), Cowan-Dickie 4 (Kelleher 50), Bealham 7.5 (Furlong 60) (Bealham 80+1,7.5), Itoje (capt) 6.5 (Cummings 72,5), Beirne 7, Curry 6.5, Morgan 6 (Pollock 50), Earl 4

The Independent

an hour ago

• The Independent

Andy Farrell admits Lions ‘have to be better' after Argentina defeat

An honest Andy Farrell admitted that the British and Irish Lions 'have to be better' after his side suffered a 28-24 defeat to Argentina in their tour curtain-raiser in Dublin. The Lions were beaten at the Aviva Stadium after producing a perhaps predictably scratchy and sloppy performance, with a number of errors undermining some bright bits of attacking play. Such showings are commonplace in the opening match of the itinerary for the quadrennial tourists given the challenges they face bringing the group together, though Farrell sought not to sugar-coat the performance as the Lions prepare to head to Australia this weekend. 'We made it a tough game,' Farrell said. 'Obviously the first, and appropriate, thing to say is congratulations to Argentina, they capitalised very well on the back of quite a few errors from us. 'The whole story of the game is that we compounded too many errors and weren't able to put the pace on the game that we wanted to because of that. I wouldn't give the excuse [of a lack of time together]. We need to be better than that. The Lions players are good players coming together. Of course, we ask a lot of them. It certainly looked like we were a little bit disconnected at times. We will review and get something positive from that. It is all about how we move forward. 'We need to be honest, because if we are not honest with each other, how do we gain trust? We have to say it how it is. Losing hurts, especially in this jersey. We need to find solutions pretty quickly and be honest with ourselves because some good has to come from this.' The Lions will fly to Perth on Saturday and face the Western Force in the city with an eight-day turnaround between their first and second games. The schedule thereafter is hectic, with four more matches before the first Test against the Wallabies on 19 July. Farrell will be boosted by the full availability of his contingent from Leinster, Bath and Leicester after they were largely stood down from this game having been involved in domestic finals last weekend. Toulouse's progress to the Top 14 final, however, means that Blair Kinghorn will not join up with the squad until after their game in Perth. Fellow Scot Duhan van der Merwe was seen with ice around his lower leg and foot after being replaced in Dublin, but Farrell was hopeful of a clean bill of health. He said: 'A few players were cramping, which shows where we are at, but other than that, it looks all good.'