Richard Keys urges UEFA to take urgent action amid Tottenham development
Tottenham have defied all odds to be within one game of qualifying for the Champions League.
Their 2-0 home defeat to Crystal Palace on Sunday (11 May) saw them sink to 17th place in the Premier League, one place above the relegation zone.
They have almost miraculously separated their desolate domestic form from their European campaign, in which they will face Manchester United at the Estadio de San Mames on Wednesday (21 May).
Not only does this present the Lilywhites with a chance to secure their first major trophy in 17 years, but it also offers them an unlikely route to Europe’s premium competition.
Richard Keys mocks UEFA rules
Champions League qualification through the Europa League was adopted in 2014 to offer participants an extra incentive to take the competition seriously.
Whilst Tottenham have certainly done that, as shown by the number of changes they make for league fixtures, the flaws behind this initiative have been exposed this season and are being questioned by figures such as Arsene Wenger.
Keys has been the latest to make his feelings known, taking to X (11 May) to make his feelings known.
“Spurs – 17th. United 16th. They’ve lost 37 league games between them,” he posted.
“Only the three relegated clubs are worse. One or the other is supposed to be playing Champions League football next season.
“UEFA have to revisit that decision now. It shouldn’t be allowed.”
Ange Postecoglou has hit back at this line of thought before, defiantly stating that this conversation was never even entertained before Tottenham were involved.
Nonetheless, the contest is set to make history as 14th was previously the lowest any European cup winner has been when West Ham won the Europa Conference League in 2023.
Spurs not equipped for Champions League
Son Heung-min’s return to action will offer Postecoglou a timely boost ahead of the match in Bilbao, but Spurs’ injuries continue to mount up as the rigours of the Premier League, alongside cup competitions, expose the squad’s lack of robustness.
It is unlikely that the Lilywhites would experience an injury crisis of the same scale next season, but players within the squad like Richarlison and James Maddison have proven to be unreliable over a longer period.
Daniel Levy is working hard to increase the club’s transfer budget, but the step up in quality of opposition in the Champions League would demand an unrealistically large overhaul to overcome.