Micky van de Ven 'won't support West Ham' as Tottenham Champions League reality clear

Tottenham defender Micky van de Ven has made it clear that nothing less than a top-four finish will do as the race for Champions League qualification heats up. The determined Spurs star is all about securing that crucial spot and won't be content with falling behind Aston Villa, even though fifth might still offer a route to Europe's most prestigious club tournament.

Discussing whether Tottenham are aware of the UEFA coefficient points situation, Van de Ven stated: «Of course, you are speaking about it because you know that maybe fifth place is going to be enough. But we are not focusing on fifth. We want to be fourth or even higher. We just want to make sure that at the end of the season, we don't have to look at how everything went with the list.»

With Italy leading the coefficient rankings, England and Germany are locked in a fierce battle for the second bonus Champions League spot, with Germany currently having the edge. Despite vehemently rejecting the notion that he would be eagerly watching West Ham's imminent Europa League face-off against Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen, Van de Ven admits that this quarter-final match might hold great significance for Tottenham, reports the Mirror.

Maintaining his focus on Spurs' objective, he added: «You look at it but it's not like I'll be supporting West Ham. It's not that deep. We just want to finish in a position where we are sure we'll be playing Champions League football next year.»

The 22-year-old who perfectly encapsulates the young exuberance of Ange Postecoglou's burgeoning revolution will inevitably play a crucial role in determining Spurs' trajectory. Before the club's £43 million summer acquisition experienced a severe hamstring injury during their unexpected 4-1