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A fresh injury concern has emerged for Spurs before Europa League final

Tottenham will be without two key midfielders for the Europa League final on Wednesday night

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Tashan Deniran-Alleyne

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Tottenham head into the biggest game of the season knowing the narrative of their campaign could change drastically.

Spurs face Manchester United in the Europa League final on Wednesday, but could be without Pape Matar Sarr for the all-English final in Bilbao.

The midfielder was forced off early in the 2-0 loss to Aston Villa on Friday night as Tottenham’s Premier League form sunk to a new low. That said, Ange Postecoglou has issued a rather positive update.

With that in mind, here’s a look at the latest Tottenham injury news…

Pape Matar Sarr

Pape Sarr walked straight down the tunnel flanked by a member of the club medical team against Aston Villa.

However, Postecoglou says he does not think Sarr's complaint is "anything too serious".

"Pape felt something in his back, so we took him off as a bit of a precaution," Postecoglou said afterwards. "I don’t think it’s anything too significant, speaking to him afterwards but he just felt something in his back.”

Potential return date: Manchester United (n) on Wednesday, May 21, 2025

Dejan Kulusevski

Kulusevski hobbled off after 18 minutes against Crystal Palace following a heavy challenge from Marc Guehi and headed straight down the tunnel.

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He appeared for the second half, sitting on the bench with the rest of the Tottenham substitutes and Postecoglou was initially hopeful the attacking midfielder had not sustained any serious damage.

After missing training last week, Spurs confirmed the Swede would not be fit for the Europa League final after undergoing surgery.

Ruled out: Dejan Kulusevski

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Speaking on Thursday, Postecoglou said: "Disappointing news. Initially we thought it wasn’t too serious.The medical team were worried structurally about how the knee was but it blew up the day after and we knew there was an issue there.

“He has had surgery and it will put him out for at least a few months."

Potential return date: Next season

James Maddison

James Maddison will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury.

Maddison was injured in the 3-1 Europa League semi-final first-leg win against Bodo/Glimt and scans have revealed he is facing an extended period on the sidelines.

The midfielder has been ruled out of the final three weeks of the season, meaning he will miss the Europa League final in Bilbao on May 21 and is a doubt for the start of pre-season, too.

Injury blow: James Maddison

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Speaking about the midfielder, Ange Postecoglou said: “Madders from the first leg, so he's out. He'll miss the rest of this season and it’s disappointing for him.

“I'm disappointed for him because he's been a real catalyst for us. He'll miss out but that's been the story of our season.”

Potential return date: Next season

Lucas Bergvall

The young midfield star has been ruled out for the rest of the season after damaging ligaments in his ankle during the final training session ahead of the Europa League semi-final first leg.

It is a huge blow for the teenager, who has enjoyed an impressive debut season in England and days earlier was rewarded with a new six-year contract. Bergvall has since been spotted wearing a foot brace and on crutches.

News of the injury leaked before the player or club were able to confirm, which Ange Postecoglou believes made the blow even tougher to handle for the “devastated” youngster.

Lucas Bergvall’s impressive season has been curtailed

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He told reporters: "It’s not helpful. Some of it is just to protect the players themselves. You can imagine, Lucas was devastated. He didn’t want to deal with it and we didn’t want to make it public, not as much about the opposition but to give him the time to process it.

"He’s a young man. He had such a high in the week, he had signed a new deal, he was playing well, his whole family was out here looking forward to the game. We wanted to protect him more than anything else, but those kinds of levels of decency and respect don’t exist anymore."

Potential return date: June 2025

Radu Dragusin

Radu Dragusin is not expected to return for the remainder of the season.

The centre-back suffered a serious knee injury in February and quickly underwent surgery.

A club statement at the time read: “Radu underwent surgery today following his ACL injury. That procedure has now been completed, and the centre-back will now commence with his recovery before beginning the rehab process.”

As a result, Dragusin is not expected to return for months.

Potential return date: June 2025

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Tottenham: Pedro Porro warns Spurs of 'magnificent' Ruben Amorim ahead of Europa League final

The Spaniard played under the Man United coach for three seasons at Sporting CP

Chasing redemption: Pedro Porro hopes for a ‘happy ending’ to a tough season

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Your matchday briefing on Tottenham, featuring team news and expert analysis from Dan Kilpatrick

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Pedro Porro has warned Tottenham not to underestimate Manchester United and "magnificent coach" Ruben Amorim in the Europa League Final and says both teams "know how to deliver" in the competition, in spite of their dreadful domestic seasons.

Spurs are 17th in the League table, with United one point and one place better off, but they meet in Bilbao on Wednesday night for a shot at redeeming their campaign with European glory.

Spurs have beaten United three times already this term, twice in the top-flight and once in the Carabao Cup, and Amorim's side are guaranteed their worst-ever Premier League finish.

But asked about United's domestic difficulties, Porro said: "Well, I don't think they've lost in the Europa League.

"They're a very good team, with a very good coach, no?

Amorim and Porro shared three years at Sporting CP

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"In the end they haven’t had the luck in the Premier League. It's like us, isn't it? But we're two teams that know how to deliver and it’s going to be a very beautiful final. I hope we’re the happy ones at the end.

"The truth is we have very good feelings," he added.

"Ignoring the Premier League, we are feeling good, the job the team has done in Europe has been enormous and I think we feel we’re in a good place. Those feelings have to carry over to the day of the final now.

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"We have to forget everything else because at the end of the day, we've worked very hard to get to this final. It’s very difficult to get to where we are in this Europa League and it’s where we want to be."

Before joining Spurs, Porro spent three seasons under United coach Amorim at Sporting CP, winning one league title and two Portuguese League Cups.

"He's a magnificent coach," Porro said. "I know him very well. It’s the way he treats the players, he always spoke to me as a person, it’s not just how he treated me from a football perspective.

Porro is in the hunt for a fourth win over Man United this season

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"The way he works on the pitch is also very good but in this case, I hope I’m the happy one.

"When I arrived [at Sporting], it was a little bit difficult for me but like everything in football, sometimes it’s hard at first, right?

"Things in life don't always go the way you want them to but when I got there, the truth is I had a lot of help from him and at that moment my football exploded. To be honest I'm really grateful to him for that.

"Porro says winning a first European trophy would be the fulfilment of a childhood dream, as well as being hugely important for Spurs.

"It would be very important," he said. "It would be a dream because, as we already know when I arrived here, we knew it had been a long time since we had won a trophy here.

"So it would be very, very important for us. And for me personally it would be a story of faith, something I dreamt of ever since I was little. It’s my first European final and everyone in the world would have motivation for that.

"That is everyone’s dream when they are little.

"Last year we were three points away from the Champions League. We knew from the start of the season that this was a competition where we could do something big, no? And let's hope we have a happy ending."

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Support: Yves Bissouma insists his relationship with Ange Postecoglou remains good despite a difficult season for both men at Tottenham

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Yves Bissouma says his relationship with "uncle" Ange Postecoglou has "never changed" despite an underwhelming season for the midfielder, who is back in favour and expected to be crucial to Tottenham's chances of glory in the Europa League.

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Bissouma is set to start Wednesday night's final against Manchester United in Bilbao, having impressed in both legs of the semi-final after Lucas Bergvall suffered an ankle injury on the eve of the first match against Bodo/Glimt.

Bissouma has struggled for consistency in a floundering Spurs side this term and been withdrawn at half-time in three of his 12 starts since the turn of the year.

He acknowledged it has been a "hard" campaign for him personally, but says his feelings towards Postecoglou have remained consistent.

"It’s never changed. Never changed. We have a good relationship," Bissouma said, when asked about the Australian, whose future beyond the end of the season is uncertain.

"He’s like a dad or uncle for us. He’s always trying to make us understand what he really wants. For us, he’s Ange, he’s him.

"He’s got his idea. He’s trying to help us every time. It’s not easy [the style of play], especially at the start. We have to stick together like what we're doing and that’s what we’re doing.”

Postecoglou has acknowledged that Bissouma has had "issues" this season but credited the 28-year-old for never complaining and said he is proud of the way he has delivered since returning to the side.

"[The manager] is always protecting us," Bissouma added. "Every game, when we lose or win. He’s got a top mentality. He understands football. He knows it’s up and down.

"He never blames players. To have a coach like him is something. At the same time, with him, we are working hard. We want to improve every game and every training because it’s really important for us and the club.

"We’re all here for the club, for the same reason. It’s necessary to be together.”

Bissouma has started just 16 Premier League games this season, despite being one of the few Spurs players to have avoided serious injury, with Postecoglou typically preferring Bergvall or Rodrigo Bentancur at the base of midfield.

Postecoglou has revealed he spoke to Bissouma last month and told him he would be needed before the end of the campaign.

Asked about the conversation, Bissouma said: "I don’t have anything to say about that because he said everything already.

"But, yes, as a player, it’s really important to stay involved with the team because you don’t know when the team will need you, so you have to work hard to be ready. That’s why we are here as professionals.

"Of course there’s more to come [from me]," he added. "We are always here for learning, I’m still learning. This season has been hard for me because I didn’t play much. The most important thing is if the team does good. I’m here to work and when my time comes, I play.

"As a professional, you have to be ready. You have to understand it’s not just yourself – you are part of a group. You can’t control things sometimes. The only thing I know is, you have to work hard and never give up and be ready when your team needs you. That’s what I’m always trying to do.

"It's always a pleasure to be back and play. Football is everything for me. To be playing is something special for me. I have to take every opportunity like I did in the last European game, so I’m happy.”

Looking ahead to the final, he said: "We know what we have to do. We have to win this cup because for us, it’s really important. It’s an important game for us. As a player, it’s not coming every season.

"For the club, for the fans, it’s something special. I don’t have the words to say. We’ll see."

Bissouma was suspended for the opening game of the season by the club after filming himself taking nitrous oxide, which prompted Postecoglou to say that he had to win back the trust of himself and the rest of the squad.

"I don’t want to talk about that, sorry," said Bissouma.

"Everyone [supported me], and yourself as well, as a professional. You have to understand that football is up and down.

"In the hard moments, you have to be strong. You have to stay strong because it’s not easy. The most important thing for us is we're here to learn. That's why we train every day to be ready for the game.

"And I am a very religious person. I learned that from my family."

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The midfielder sparked new concerns after being withdrawn against Aston Villa

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Your matchday briefing on Tottenham, featuring team news and expert analysis from Dan Kilpatrick

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Tottenham head coach Ange Postecoglou says he does not think Pape Matar Sarr's complaint is "anything too serious" after the midfielder walked straight down the tunnel flanked by a member of the club medical team during the 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa.

Spurs are already without creative midfielders Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison and Lucas Bergvall for Wednesday's season-defining Europa League Final against Manchester United, so the sight of Sarr gingerly heading for the dressing room after being replaced in the 51st minute was a concern.

The Senegalese is a leading contender to start in midfield against United in Bilbao, although Postecoglou used a 4-4-2 formation at Villa Park, suggesting he could be preparing to change his system for the Final.

"Pape felt something in his back, so we took him off as a bit of a precaution," Postecoglou said afterwards. "I don’t think it’s anything too significant, speaking to him afterwards but he just felt something in his back.”

Postecoglou added: "I think Mikey [Moore, who went down in the second half] was okay. It was fatigue as much as anything else. He hasn’t played that sort of amount of minutes before."

Pape Matar Sarr playing against Aston Villa

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Postecoglou has tended to play down recent injuries in their immediate aftermath, saying Bergvall and Maddison had suffered "tweaks" before they were ruled out for the rest of the season with ligament damage and describing Kulusevski's injury as a "knock" shortly before he underwent knee surgery.

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With full focus on the final, the head coach named a weakened team at Villa Park, with only captain Heung-min Son and potentially Sarr likely to start again midweek. Son came through 74 minutes on his first start since April 10, as second-half goals from Ezri Konsa and Boubacar Kamara condemned Spurs to a 21st League defeat of the campaign.

"[Son] playing 70, 75 minutes today was important and you could see he opened up a couple of times," Postecoglou said. "It's as much about Sonny himself, and feeling that he's getting back into a rhythm and I think there were moments tonight where he showed that.

"It's important [to have him back], especially when we've lost some key players in recent times. Madders is also one of the leaders, and Deki, and Lucas in the last three weeks. Now getting Sonny back at least gives us another experienced player.

"I think the last two or three fixtures, our average age has been three or four years younger than the opposition. You can see that at times, so just having another experienced player available is great for the team."

Postecoglou left defenders Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero and Destiny Udogie out of his squad altogether against Unai Emery's side, meaning the trio will not have played for a fortnight - since the semi-final decider against Bodo/Glimt - if they line up against United, as expected.

"They are available. For us there’s no point bringing them here, they weren’t going to play today," Postecoglou said.

"They stayed at home, they did a really strong [training] session and come Wednesday, knock on wood, they are all available and that’s the most important thing. That’s the primary thing. When those guys play, that back four with Vic in goal, our chances of success significantly improve.

"If something happened to them today then they wouldn’t be available and I just don’t think that be would the smart course for us to take."

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Tottenham will go into Wednesday's Europa League Final against Manchester United on the back of a 2-0 defeat at Aston Villa after suffering a 21st Premier League defeat of the season on Friday night.

With full focus firmly on Europe, Ange Postecoglou named a weakened XI against Unai Emery's side and second-half goals from Ezri Konsa and Boubacar Kamara boosted Villa’s Champions League hopes.

Here are three Spurs talking points from the game...

Sarr is the latest concern for Bilbao

With Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison and Lucas Bergvall all ruled out of Bilbao through injury, Pape Matar Sarr appears the likeliest pick to deputise in an advanced midfield role against United.

So Postecoglou’s decision to withdraw the Senegalese for Yves Bissouma in the 51st minute here was no great surprise, with Sarr seemingly being saved for a prominent role in the Final.

But Sarr did not take up his place on the bench after being substituted and instead walked (a little gingerly) straight down the touchline and into the tunnel, ominously flanked by a member of Spurs’ medical staff.

Pape Sarr was withdrawn after 51 minutes

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It was an alarming sight for Spurs fans and Postecoglou, given the lengths the manager had taken to avoid injuries ahead of Wednesday.

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In fact, Sarr was one of just two players in Postecoglou’s XI who would appear to have a realistic chance of starting against United, along with Heung-min Son.

Asked for an update after the game, Postecoglou said: "Pape felt something in his back, we don't think it's anything significant having spoken to him, but we'll see."

Even so, Spurs will now face an anxious wait to discover if Spurs is their latest midfield to suffer an injury at the worst possible time.

What else did we learn ahead of Wednesday?

The biggest takeaway for Spurs is that Son appeared to come through his first start since April 10 unscathed and produced a couple of trademark runs down the left.

This was not Son at his explosive and clinical best but the South Korean showed enough here to suggest that he deserves to start the Final.

Heung-min Son played 74 minutes

Action Images via Reuters

Another big takeaway was in Postecoglou’s selections.

Defenders Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero and Destiny Udogie all sat out entirely, which means they will go into the Final having not played in a fortnight since the semi-final decider against Bodo/Glimt.

The decision not to pick them was risk-averse, but sending them into such a big game cold is arguably a gamble in itself.

There may also have been some clues in Postecoglou's set up, which was effectively a compact 4-4-2, with Mathys Tel and Wilson Odobert in a front two and Son and Mikey Moore as wingers.

That suggests Postecoglou could be preparing to mitigate for the absence of his three most creative midfielders with a tweak to his system against United, when Richarlison could play up top with Dominic Solanke, with Son and Brennan Johnson either side of Bissouma and Rodrigo Bentancur.

Antonin Kinsky did his chances no harm

Action Images via Reuters

Kinsky catches the eye

Back-up goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky’s last appearance at Villa Park in February saw the end of the young Czech’s promising run in the team.

In a 2-1 defeat for Spurs in the FA Cup, Kinsky made a mistake inside a minute to concede to Jacob Ramsey and looked jittery, suggesting his initial form after arriving from Slavia Prague in January had been overblown.

But the 21-year-old was impressive on his return to this ground, in spite of conceding twice, making outstanding saves either side of half-time to deny Ollie Watkins.

Even more impressive was his command of his area and distribution, and he set Odobert clear in the second half with a throw, only for the forward to take a heavy touch.

Plainly, Kinsky is not going to start ahead of Guglielmo Vicario on Wednesday but if he continues to play like this when he is called upon, he could put pressure on the Italian next season.

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Aston Villa moved closer to a Champions League return after a 2-0 victory over Tottenham, who had more than one eye on Wednesday's Europa League final.

Villa's memorable run to the quarter-finals of this season's competition gave them the taste for more and they boosted their hopes with an eighth win from their last nine Premier League games.

This was probably the biggest home banker of the campaign given where Spurs' focus lay, but Villa made hard work of it, needing second-half goals from Ezri Konsa and Boubacar Kamara to get the job done.

That means, if other results go their way this weekend, a win in their final game of the season at Manchester United would be enough to guarantee Villa a return to the promised land.

Spurs could yet still be in the Champions League next season as well if they can end their trophy drought with Europa League victory over United and boss Ange Postecoglou did nothing to jeopardise that at Villa Park.

The embattled Australian made it clear where his focus was by naming a weakened side, which included a first Premier League start since 2022 for forgotten man Sergio Reguilon.

They never really looked like avoiding a 21st league defeat of a miserable league season, but all roads now lead to Bilbao where history could beckon.

Villa had an early flurry of chances as Ollie Watkins fired straight at Antonin Kinsky and John McGinn fizzed an effort just over.

But Spurs, and Son Heung-min in particular, showed - for a time at least - they were not here just to make the numbers up.

The South Korean is one of the players who is likely to play in Bilbao and he almost opened the scoring when he cut inside and whipped an effort just over the crossbar.

Son was again involved as Spurs went close once more, starting a move that saw Wilson Odobert cleverly flick Mathys Tel's cross goalwards, but Emiliano Martinez was equal to it, saving with his feet.

It was Kinsky who was then forced into a smart save as he got finger tips to Amadou Onana's cross that was sneaking into the far post.

Villa came forward with a wave of attacks, with Marco Asensio curling just wide from 20 yards and Konsa heading straight at Kinsky.

Frustrations were growing as the hosts floundered at the start of the second half but the tension was relieved as they finally made the breakthrough just before the hour.

It was almost 2-0 60 seconds later but Kinsky got down well to keep out Watkins' effort.

Kamara did kill any jangling nerves in the 73rd minute when he unleashed a fierce low shot that was too hot to handle for Kinsky.

Villa saw it out to end their excellent home campaign with a record-extending 21st match unbeaten in all competitions.

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