Tottenham’s preparations for the Europa League final against Manchester United have been disrupted once again, this time by a fresh injury concern involving Pape Matar Sarr.
The midfielder was forced off during the second half of Friday’s 2-0 loss to Aston Villa, casting doubt over his availability for Wednesday’s final in Bilbao. Spurs, who have already been hit by multiple injuries, watched Sarr walk straight down the tunnel after 53 minutes, sparking concern.
Ange Postecoglou, however, attempted to ease fears post-match, revealing the change was precautionary. According to the manager, Sarr reported discomfort in his back and was withdrawn to avoid aggravating the issue.
The clash at Villa Park saw Tottenham rotate their squad heavily with the final in mind. Key players like Yves Bissouma, Brennan Johnson, Pedro Porro, and Dominic Solanke were all rested, while centre-backs Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven were not included in the squad.
Mikey Moore, another player involved, also raised injury concerns after going down in the second half, but Postecoglou attributed that to fatigue, explaining the youngster isn’t used to playing such extended minutes.
Spurs are already without several midfielders—James Maddison, Lucas Bergvall, and Dejan Kulusevski. The latter has undergone knee surgery, ruling him out of the final altogether.
There was some good news for Spurs fans as Heung-Min Son returned to the starting XI for the first time since April. The South Korean international, who had been sidelined with a foot injury, also made a substitute appearance against Crystal Palace last weekend. Postecoglou expressed optimism about Son’s fitness, stating the runout will help him be in better shape for the upcoming final.
As Tottenham brace for their European showdown, injury concerns continue to pile up, leaving Postecoglou with major decisions ahead of their biggest match of the season.