The winger-turned pundit is hugely confident about Spurs’ chances of reaching the knockout stage.
Steve McManaman has told BT Sport that Tottenham Hotspur have nothing at all which should trouble them in their Champions League group.
Spurs, making their return to Europe’s premier competition for the first time since the turn of the decade, were drawn against German side Bayern Leverkusen, Ligue 1 Monaco, and Russian outfit CSKA Moscow.
When the quality of club from across Europe in the competition is considered, that draw looks pretty favourable for Mauricio Pochettino’s men, particularly when compared with Manchester City’s group, for example – Barcelona, Borussia Moenchangladbach, and Celtic.
Spurs have avoided all of the big guns and McManaman believes the White Hart Lane stars should be counting their blessings after being handed such a “wonderful” draw.
He told BT Sport: “Monaco, Bayer Leverkusen and CSKA Moscow, they’re not going to frighten the Tottenham boys whatsoever. They know all about Monaco from the Europa League last year.
I think they’ve got a wonderful draw. If all the English teams don’t go through I’d be incredibly surprised, I really would be, and I’d be disappointed because I think they all should go through looking at the standard of teams against them all.”
Having challenged seriously for the Premier League title in the second half of last season and boasting stars such as Premier League golden boot-winner Harry Kane, Spurs will be confident of going a long way in Europe this term.
They will have to be careful that none of their three opponents prove to be a banana skin, but they will surely have their eyes firmly on a place in the last-16 after Thursday’s draw.
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