The preliminary draw for the Champions League can be an anxious time for the clubs desperate to reach the coveted group stages for the first time. In the space of a few seconds, it will either feel like an entire season’s good work has been put in jeopardy or they’ve been given a passport to the first round proper.

A few years ago Everton defied the odds to finish fourth before they suffered that sinking feeling when they landed Spaniards Villarreal in the qualifier. With Sampdoria, Sevilla, Werder Bremen and Ajax in this season’s draw, Tottenham could have landed a similarly daunting task to make last year’s exploits count.

But the White Hart Lane club will be very content with how the draw panned out. That’s not to say their unfancied Swiss opponents Young Boys, also aiming to reach the group stages for the first time, will be an easy tie, but it could have been a lot worse.

A trip to Switzerland will always be more preferable than traveling to Italy, Spain or Germany at this stage of the competition. That can wait until the tournament really starts.

There is no room for complacency though. Although Swiss clubs have been fairly unremarkable in Europe over the last few years, Basel have pulled off the occasional eye-catching result while FC Zurich, despite finishing bottom of their Champions League group last season, managed to beat AC Milan in the San Siro.

Young Boys should be at least of a similar standard to their domestic rivals, so Spurs need to be on their guard.

Tottenham don’t always relish the favourites tag and have often floundered against teams they should bury. Wolves, Hull and Burnley managed to take points of them last season.

And in a twist of fate, English born Tottenham supporter Scott Sutter plays for the Swiss and will fulfill a dream if he plays at the Lane.

But every other Spurs fan will be hoping he and his team-mates represent cannon-fodder before the real hurdles come into view.

And that’s down to fear – not of their opponents – but the fear of having something which has been tantalizingly close for so long being cruelly taken away in the space of one bad performance. Welcome to the Champions League.