In the days before the name of the name of German football was mentioned, they mentioned the house of Eintracht Frankfurt the Waldstadion, literally Forest Stadium, because of the surroundings in an area of forest outside the city.
The path to the 100-year sports location, now fully modernized and Deutsche Bank Park, still includes a walk through the trees and on the eve of the quarterfinals of Tottenham's Europa League created a shady idyll at odds with the do-or-or nature of the tar.
When the beer starts to flow and the grills are lit and the mood is swinging tonight to hostility, there will be no mistake what is at stake for Spurs against the Europa League winners of 2022.
Ange Postecoglou, with the draw on 1-1 and his job on the line, will lead his team to an 'Lion's den' according to Eintracht's former Leeds defender Robin Koch. “They will feel it,” boss Dino Toppmoller voted.
It will be noisy and intimidating in the forest, it is just how they do not roll up well this season in Frankfurt. There was a terrible start of the defeat in Galatasaray in November, when she admitted within six minutes and were 3-1 in the break and the place was vibrating.
Similarly, they went behind to Rangers at Ibrox and wobbled before they are dragging back to draw. Ways form in the Europa League was sketchy. Spurs won in September in Ferencvaros and Hoffenheim in January, but lost in AZ Alkmaar in the way of the Last-16-drawing game, in February.
Go further back and they have lost 12 of 24 European Away matches since the Champions League final in 2019, including embarrassing defeats at Mura van Slovenia and Pacos de Ferreira from Portugal. “Playing away in Europe is always a challenge,” said Postecoglou, calm and composed, no fighting or railing against something that trains in Frankfurt last night. 'The experiences we have had this year have been good for that. Many of our younger players are exposed to this, which will be useful.
'But undoubtedly the experienced guys in the team, who have probably experienced something, will be extremely important to us. Having the most important except Sonny Fit and available, and feeling good in terms of conditioning, will be important. '
Captain son Heung-Min did not travel to Germany. He has a foot injury that excluded him from the 4-2 defeat at Wolves on Sunday. He tried to train on Tuesday, but had pain and the decision was made to let him rest and restore him. On the positive side, Dejan Kulusevski returned from a foot injury as a replacement at Wolves and Kevin Danso is fit after a hamstring problem, so that traces are as close to full strength as in months.
“It's very positive,” said Postecoglou. 'You realize that when we have everyone together, we have a really exciting young team that we can build on. And only the general feeling in its place. Everyone is excited. All players are looking forward to it.
'We have had many players who have to train themselves, deal with the mental routine to try to come back to the group. That influences the feeling in the neighborhood, because there is always this overwhelming feeling that everyone is in it together.
'So just have the whole group together; The dynamics of training, from the dressing room, even the dynamics when you travel, because for the most part everyone has their best buddy with them, they are not at home. It is a good feeling and you miss it if you have had the kind of season we have had. 'The Premier League campaign from Tottenham has been disastrous. They have lost 17 games and row on the 15th, with supporters who regularly focus their anger on chairman Daniel Levy and, to a lesser extent, Postecoglou.
The belief in the project is blurred and yet the latter hope remains. There were hints of rhythm that returned to the first stage against Eintracht, although this was nowhere to be seen when a weakened team with six changes failed in Molineux.
And now it comes down to this. Ange – never Daniel – in the Leeuwenschot, on pains to emphasize that it is about opportunities, not about salvation. The chance to reach the last four and a collision with Lazio or Bodo/Glimt. “There is no trouble for me, no fear,” said the Spursbaas. “Regardless of the other that happened this year, we are a game away from the last four of a major competition.”