Where he spoke about Kolo Muani (press conference? podcast? interview?)
Thomas Frank was clearly in high spirits after Tottenham’s 2–0 away win against Eintracht Frankfurt on Wednesday night, a result that confirmed Spurs’ place in the Champions League last 16.
Frankfurt had already shipped three goals in each of their previous five games, and their defensive issues were evident again. Tottenham started brightly, with João Palhinha — returning to the side and operating on the right of a back three — and Pape Matar Sarr both testing goal early on. Wilson Odobert then came close when he rattled the right-hand post.
Before half-time, Eintracht goalkeeper Kaua Santos handed Xavi Simons a chance inside the box, but managed to recover just in time to poke the Dutchman’s effort away. Frankfurt nearly struck back themselves late in the half, when Hugo Larsson’s shot clipped the top of the crossbar.
Spurs eventually turned pressure into a breakthrough shortly after the restart. Two minutes into the second half, Xavi delivered a deep cross that Cristian Romero, completely unmarked, headed back across goal, allowing Randal Kolo Muani to cleverly flick the ball into the net with his heel from close range.
Tottenham continued to threaten. Sarr forced another save from Santos with a low effort, while Xavi saw a deflected shot trickle wide with the goalkeeper wrong-footed. Teenage midfielder Archie Gray had a strike blocked inside the area, and Romero later tested the keeper with a header.
The victory was sealed in the 77th minute when substitute Dominic Solanke made an immediate impact, latching onto a poor headed clearance from Mahmoud Dahoud and calmly finishing low into the corner. The goal secured both the win and a fourth-place finish in the Champions League table, sending Spurs straight into the knockout rounds.
After the match, Tottenham correspondent Alasdair Gold questioned Frank at Deutsche Bank Park. This is a paraphrased version of the entire exchange.
On what pleased him most about the result:
Frank said his biggest satisfaction came from the overall performance. He praised the players’ attitude and mental strength, pointing out that Tottenham had been working with a very limited squad across both this match and the recent Dortmund game. Despite that, the players stepped up.
He felt Spurs controlled the game almost from start to finish, which he described as a significant achievement. Referring to the broader Champions League results, he stressed that there are no easy matches at this level. Finishing the league phase on 17 points and ending fourth, he said, was hugely impressive.
Frank highlighted Spurs’ effectiveness pressing high, their solidity when defending deep, and their ability to progress the ball quickly up the pitch. While acknowledging there is still room to improve creatively, he was pleased with the number of chances created. He also made a point of thanking the travelling supporters, praising their numbers and their backing throughout the night.
On personal pride in his first Champions League campaign as a manager:
Frank admitted he was happy but insisted it wasn’t about him personally. Instead, he credited the collective effort of the coaching staff, players, and preparation behind the scenes. He said qualifying directly for the round of 16 was hugely important, not only competitively but because it allows valuable training time between matches. He also noted that the 3-4-3 system has looked strong in recent games.
On Randal Kolo Muani’s goal against a former club:
Frank said he was delighted Kolo Muani found the net and felt the forward looked dangerous throughout the match. He mentioned that Kolo Muani was heavily involved in an earlier move that nearly resulted in an assist and praised his overall contribution.
Frank joked that he told the striker it would be nice if he started scoring against teams other than his former clubs. He added that adapting to a new club, country, and especially the Premier League is never easy, and he hopes this goal will help boost the player’s confidence.
On Dominic Solanke’s goal and the decision to leave him on the bench:
Frank said he was extremely pleased to have Solanke back in the Champions League squad but admitted it had been a difficult call not to start him. He explained that the club has been managing Solanke carefully, pushing him close to his limits, and that all the signs suggested starting him would not have been the smartest option.
Given the circumstances, Frank felt the decision was the correct one and was happy it was rewarded with such a positive outcome.
On where the performance ranks this season:
Frank agreed that, considering the context, it was one of Tottenham’s strongest displays. He described it as a very complete performance, highlighting the balance between high pressing, deep defending, ball control, and chance creation.
On whether there was ever doubt about Kolo Muani playing after the recent accident:
Frank was clear that Kolo Muani was always fit to play. He said that if there had been any physical or mental concerns, the player would not have featured, but there were no issues at all.
On five English teams finishing in the top eight of the Champions League:
Frank said he hadn’t seen the statistic but described it as further proof of the Premier League’s dominance. He added that it has long been considered the strongest league in the world, and results like this only reinforce that view.
