The former clubs of Jacques Santini and Frank Arnesen will meet for the return leg at the Philips Stadium in seven day’s time to earn a place in the last four of the competition.
Santini, who lasted only 13 matches as Spurs coach at the start of the season, joined Lyon in 1997, first as technical director, and then as first-team coach, guiding them to French league cup victory in 2001 and their first-ever league championship the following season.
A month before Tottenham announced Santini was to join Spurs after Euro 2004, the club recruited Danish coach Frank Arnesen as its new sporting director.
Arnesen joined from PSV Eindhoven, where he had responsibility as Technical Director for all footballing issues including scouting, youth development and player transfers for ten seasons.
The role he has continued beyond Santini’s resignation in November includes taking charge of all football related matters and the recruitment of key personnel, taking responsibility for developing and implementing youth, scouting, medical and international policy, as well as overseeing the trading of players in consultation with the First Team management.
"On paper they could have worked together. But Frank Arnesen was a very creative, forward-thinking and expansive player - whereas I think Santini was very much the opposite, more a case of being organised, disciplined and happy not conceding goals.
"That sort of arrangement can work if the two people have the same principles and ideals and work very closely. But it seems that has not happened," said Gary Stevens, who joined Spurs as a £300,000 right back from Brighton in 1983.
Stevens playing career for Spurs was cut short in November 1986 when he suffered a serious knee injury in a tackle from Wimbledon's Vinnie Jones.
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