Tottenham coach Mauricio Pochettino hope to play Champions League quarter-final at new stadium

Tottenham Hotspurs are in the Champions League last eight for the first time since 2011 and after last night’s last-16 win over Borussia Dortmund Mauricio Pochettino said he expects to play the quarter-final home leg at the new stadium, which the club hopes to open in April following months of delays. 

But Uefa are reluctant to allow Spurs to host such a high-profile game at a ground that has never been used for a competitive fixture, while the club would also prefer to open with a domestic match.

That means if Brighton win at Millwall in the FA Cup on March 17, Spurs must return to Wembley for the quarter-final if they are drawn at home in the first leg, scheduled for April 9-10. 

Spurs hope to open the stadium with the visit of Brighton on April 7 but the fixture will be postponed if the Seagulls reach the FA Cup semi-final.

The draw is made a week on Friday and if Spurs are drawn away first, there should be no issue with hosting the quarter-final at the 62,062-seat ground on April 16-17 because they entertain Huddersfield in the League beforehand.

Speaking after the win at Westfalenstadion, Pochettino said: “I expect to play [the quarter-final] at the new stadium. I was talking yesterday with Daniel [Levy, Spurs chairman] and he was very positive.”