Mauricio Pochettino has charged Spurs to improve on their challenge for the title, as they gear up for the new season.
Tottenham were the closest rivals to Leicester, but fell behind in the closing weeks of the EPL. A final day thrashing by relegated Newcastle ensured they finished behind Arsenal, losing bragging rights in North London.
Nevertheless, Pochettino is confident his players can improve on their most recent efforts and is excited by the challenge of Champions League football.
“That is our challenge, to compete better and to achieve another level,” he told a news conference. “This is very hard because we are nearly on the top and we are sure that the competition will be tough.
“Our impression from the different teams is that it will be very hard but we trust in our possibility and our skills.
“Every season there are a lot of clubs that can be contenders for the title. You know how the teams have spent money and maybe you can put a team on the table from one to 20.
“But I think you never know. Football is not mathematic and is not an ordinary business.
“I am very happy with my squad and the players we have added – Victor Wanyama and Vincent Janssen – and with the young players who have showed a lot of quality in the one or two months they have been involved with the first team.”
He added: “I expect us to respond. Also as a coach and a manager, you can learn and improve from your mistakes.
“I think we have a big chance now to repeat our performance, improve and play in the Champions League.
“For a lot of players it is a new competition. It is true that we will spend more energy than playing in the Europa League and we need to deal with this in a different way than last season.
“But it is exciting for us. You can feel that all the players in the changing room are excited to start to compete.”