Thomas Frank is looking to set a new managerial record for Tottenham in their Champions League clash against Monaco.
Thomas Frank aiming to set new Tottenham managerial record in Monaco Champions League game
Tottenham Hotspur head coach Thomas Frank could make Champions League history for the Lilywhites when they face Monaco in Wednesday’s league-phase encounter.
The Europa League winners head to the Stade Louis-II with four points from a possible six in the 2025–26 Champions League campaign, placing them ninth in the 36-team rankings.
Spurs marked their return to Europe’s top competition with a 1-0 home win over Villarreal before drawing 2-2 with Norwegian side and Europa League semi-finalists Bodo/Glimt.
Monaco, on the other hand, will be playing their first Champions League match under Sebastien Pocognoli following the dismissal of Adi Hütter. The Ligue 1 outfit have picked up just one point from their opening two games, drawing 2-2 with Manchester City after a 4-1 defeat to Club Brugge.
While Pocognoli seeks a winning start as Monaco’s head coach, Frank has the chance to achieve a milestone no Tottenham manager has reached in the Champions League.
If Tottenham avoid defeat on Wednesday, Frank would become the first Spurs head coach to remain unbeaten in his first three Champions League matches.
The Lilywhites have managed to go undefeated in their opening three games of a Champions League season only once before—under Mauricio Pochettino in 2017–18, when they recorded two wins and one draw. However, Pochettino lost his first Champions League game in charge, a 2-1 defeat to Monaco in the 2016–17 campaign.
In later years, Jose Mourinho suffered a 3-1 loss to Bayern Munich in his second Champions League match with Spurs, while Antonio Conte’s side fell 2-0 to Sporting Lisbon in his second outing. Ange Postecoglou never managed Tottenham in the Champions League but went unbeaten in his first three Europa League games last season before losing to Galatasaray on matchday four.
Monaco’s only Champions League point this season came through a late Eric Dier penalty against Manchester City. The former Tottenham defender, who made 365 appearances and scored 13 goals for the club between 2014 and 2024, was set for a reunion with his old side. However, the 31-year-old will miss the match due to a hamstring injury expected to keep him sidelined until mid-November.
Tottenham will also be without the injured Dominic Solanke, James Maddison, Radu Drăgușin, Dejan Kulusevski, Kota Takai, and Yves Bissouma, while Destiny Udogie and Cristian Romero remain doubtful for the fixture.
