Villas-Boas eager for Stramaccioni contest
Prior to their clash with Inter Milan, Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas has revealed his respect for Andrea Stramaccioni.
By FOX SPORTS staff
Tottenham are poised to welcome Inter Milan to White Hart Lane on Thursday for the first leg of their Europa League Round of 16 tie.
Like Villas-Boas, Stramaccioni is a young manager eager to make his mark on Europe and the Portuguese told the Guardian that his opposite number was doing very well in his first full season in charge of the Nerazzurri.
"The position Andrea found himself in was very difficult in that there are constant comparisons to José [Mourinho] and what he achieved for any manager who lands at Inter. To cope with that pressure is an example," Villas-Boas pointed out.
"He has done extremely well because he is competing for the Italian Cup and the Europa League, maybe not for Serie A but a Champions League spot is still there after their win in Catania on Sunday [which moved them to fourth in the table]. The contract he has is all down to merit."
With Tottenham sitting in a very respectable third place in the Premier League table, Villas-Boas is on course to direct the club into the Champions League next season. He views their upcoming tie with Inter as a dress rehearsal of sorts for their future European opposition.
"We're looking forward to Inter. In the last 16 of the competition, they represent the best of the best," Villas-Boas said.
"They give us another opportunity to play a Champions League-level team, like we did in the last round against Lyon."