Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou is facing an anxious wait over the fitness of star midfielder James Maddison, whose injury has cast a shadow over the club’s Europa League semi-final hopes. Maddison, who had been instrumental in Spurs’ 3-1 victory over Bodo/Glimt in the first leg, was forced off in the second half due to an injury and did not feature in Tottenham’s 1-1 draw at West Ham United on Sunday.
Postecoglou, speaking after the match, admitted that the injury “does not look great” but emphasized that the team is still waiting for further clarity on the situation. With Spurs heading to Norway for the decisive second leg of their Europa League semi-final on Thursday, the manager is hoping to have a clearer picture of Maddison’s availability.
“It doesn’t look great but we’re just waiting for further information,” Postecoglou said. “We’ll just wait and see. Hopefully, we’ll get some clarity on Monday. It doesn’t look promising but I’ll just wait and see.”
The injury news surrounding Maddison has raised concerns, especially considering the significance of the Europa League in Tottenham’s season. With the competition offering a route to Champions League qualification, Spurs are relying heavily on Maddison’s creativity and vision in the middle of the park. The 26-year-old has been one of the club’s standout performers this season, scoring and assisting in key matches, making his potential absence a major blow to Postecoglou’s plans.
In a more positive update, striker Dominic Solanke, who scored a crucial goal in the first leg against Bodo/Glimt, was not involved in the West Ham match due to a knock but is expected to be fit for the return leg. Postecoglou gave an optimistic assessment of Solanke’s recovery, saying, “Dom is improving. We expect him to be OK for Thursday. We just left him out [against West Ham] to recover more. But the medical team are pretty confident he should be right for Thursday.”
Solanke’s availability will come as a relief for Postecoglou, as the forward has been a key figure in recent matches. His fitness could help alleviate some of the pressure on Spurs as they prepare for one of their most important fixtures of the season.
Meanwhile, the club received some good news on captain Son Heung-min, who has returned to training after being sidelined for nearly a month due to an injury. Son’s return could provide a much-needed boost for the team, particularly in attack, where the South Korean international has been a consistent source of goals and leadership.
On the injury front, Tottenham also confirmed that midfielder Lucas Bergvall is likely to miss the remainder of the season with an ankle injury. The absence of Bergvall, who has been an important squad player, adds to the growing list of injury concerns for Postecoglou, making the team’s preparation for the second leg all the more challenging.
Despite the injury worries, Postecoglou remains focused on the task at hand. Following a challenging Premier League campaign that has seen Spurs struggle with consistency, the manager made eight changes to his lineup for the draw at West Ham, a move designed to manage player fitness and give the team fresh legs ahead of the Europa League tie. Only goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, Yves Bissouma, and Richarlison retained their places in the starting lineup from the first leg.
“It’s something we’ve been doing for a while because we’ve had to,” Postecoglou explained. “We’ve had a wretched run with injuries, which still hasn’t eased up, to be fair. But with the opportunity we’ve got before us [in the Europa League], it made sense.”
Tottenham’s league form continues to be a concern. Despite earning a hard-fought draw at West Ham, Spurs remain in 16th place in the Premier League, just one point clear of West Ham and one behind Everton and Manchester United. With only three games remaining in the league, Postecoglou’s side is at risk of relegation, although their focus is clearly fixed on securing a spot in the Europa League final.
With the prospect of European glory on the line, Tottenham’s Europa League campaign offers the club a chance to secure silverware and a much-needed spot in next season’s Champions League. If Spurs manage to overcome Bodo/Glimt on Thursday, they will face either Manchester United or Athletic Bilbao in the final on May 21. A win in the Europa League would not only provide the club with its first trophy since 2008 but also give Postecoglou his first piece of silverware as manager of Spurs.
As the team prepares for the crucial second leg in Norway, the uncertainty surrounding Maddison’s injury looms large, but Postecoglou’s optimism about other players returning to fitness provides a glimmer of hope. For Tottenham, the next few days could define their season.
