Tottenham Hotspur head coach Ange Postecoglou faces a selection headache with nine players ruled out for Thursday’s crucial Europa League clash against Roma. Injuries have ravaged the Spurs squad, leaving Postecoglou with limited options.
The latest casualty is goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, who underwent surgery for a fractured ankle. This echoes last November’s injury crisis and desire for Tottenham.
Currently, Tottenham sits precariously in seventh place in the 36-team Europa League group stage after four matches. A win against Roma is crucial for their hopes of reaching the knockout stages.
Postecoglou confirmed that star defender Cristian Romero will miss the game due to a foot injury. However, there’s optimism for a return next week, with the manager stating, “Cuti is getting better… We’re hoping he’ll be back training by the end of the week.”
The absence of Romero was evident during media access to training, as he wasn’t seen alongside the team. The same applies to youngster Mikey Moore, sidelined by a virus.
Other absentees include Micky van de Ven (hamstring), Wilson Odobert (hamstring surgery), and Richarlison (hamstring), all expected to return by mid-December or early next year and more
Young striker Will Lankshear joins the list due to a one-match suspension for a red card in the previous Europa League games.
Djed Spence and Sergio Reguilon remain ineligible for the competition due to squad registration limitations.
Despite the challenges, Tottenham fans can look forward to the potential return of Rodrigo Bentancur, who is available despite a domestic ban.
Tottenham head into their latest Europa League game sitting seventh in the 36-team league after four fixtures. The Lilywhites were defeated in Istanbul last time out following a 3-2 loss at the hands of Galatasaray and it is important they get back to winning ways as they look to remain in the top eight.
