Ange Postecoglou has said that James Maddison, Lucas Bergvall, and Radu Dragusin have big roles to play in the lead-up to and during the Europa League final, revealing what he has told the Tottenham trio about their responsibilities.
Maddison admitted that he was heartbroken to miss out on the showpiece final, but the attacking midfielder has backed his teammates to get the job done against Manchester United.
The injury would have been even more devastating for Bergvall as the final would have been the biggest game of his career by far, and the setback came for the midfielder just a day after he signed a new long-term contract with the club.
Dragusin has been out for several months with an ACL injury, but the Romanian has regularly been seen beside the bench at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, cheering on his teammates.
Ange Postecoglou wants injured Tottenham players to be part of the group
Postecoglou has now admitted that Tottenham are making an effort to keep the injured players as close to the group as possible in the lead up to the final.
The Tottenham boss insisted that he had encouraged those on the treatment table to contribute to the group and support their teammates.
When asked what he is doing to keep the likes of Maddison and Bergvall involved, the Australian said (via Football.London): “There is always a role to play. It’s a funny one when you are injured. You don’t want to be hanging around either because you want to give the guys space to prepare and train. I have encouraged both of them, Radu the same, to make sure they stay around the group.
MORE SPURS STORIES
“I think it is important because it can be pretty lonely when you are trying to rehab. Particularly when it is the end of the season and you know you are not playing for the rest of the season. It’s almost easier when the season ends because everyone is on a break, and you are not missing out on anything.
“The idea is to keep them around the group as much as possible over the next couple of weeks, making sure they are engaging with their teammates and a part of everything we do. For sure, they will stay involved, and I think it’s good for them and it’s also good for the group.”
Postecoglou pleased with Spurs midfield pair
Without Bergvall’s and Maddison’s injury, it is very unlikely that we would have seen Yves Bissouma come back into the side.
However, the Mali international’s return to the team appears to have been a blessing in disguise for Spurs, giving them solidity, and Postecoglou confessed that the experience of him and Rodrigo Bentancur has proven very valuable in the latter stages of the competition.
When asked about his experienced Tottenham midfield duo, he said: “With both these guys, [they bring] experience which we haven’t had a lot of this year in crucial stages. Real good game understanding.
“Both are, with and without the ball, really disciplined in terms of understanding their roles. I think particularly in Europe, it’s a different beast, and you need that real tactical understanding of what is required in that midfield role.
“They have complemented each other with the way they have both played and adapted to the roles we have needed them to in the last period. It has worked really well for us.”