Telegraph and Argus

Netherlands playmaker Xavi went down clutching his right knee in the 58th minute of Saturday’s 1-0 win at Wolves, which earned Spurs a first Premier League victory of 2026.

After Xavi fell to the floor following a collision with Wolves defender Hugo Bueno, the 23-year-old attempted to run off the injury but collapsed in front of Tottenham’s medical staff and subsequently left Molineux on a stretcher.

It increased fears over potential anterior cruciate ligament damage and, while Spurs boss Roberto De Zerbi acknowledged Xavi was feeling “better” in the dressing room after a first league win in 16 matches, he is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines with a serious knee injury.

During an Instagram post late on Sunday night, Xavi revealed he would not be fit enough to take part in Tottenham’s final four league matches or represent the Netherlands at the World Cup this summer.

“They say life can be cruel and today it feels that way. My season has come to an abrupt end and I’m just trying to process it,” the former Paris St Germain player said.

“Honestly, I’m heartbroken. None of it makes sense.

“All I’ve wanted to do is fight for my team and now the ability to do that has been snatched away from me, along with the World Cup.”

https://x.com/OnsOranje/status/2048644780624678949

The absence of £52million attacker Xavi is a significant blow to Tottenham and De Zerbi, who has already lost captain Cristian Romero and winger Mohammed Kudus to season-ending injuries during his first month at the club.

Xavi had endured a frustrating debut campaign in England, only showing flashes of his class under Thomas Frank before being bizarrely frozen out by Igor Tudor, but looked set for a key role with De Zerbi, especially after a wonder strike in a 2-2 home draw with Brighton.

Instead, Xavi can play no part in Spurs’ desperate efforts to overturn a two-point deficit to 17th-placed West Ham in order to avoid their first relegation in 49 years.

Xavi added: “It’ll take some time to find peace with this but I’ll continue to be the best team-mate I can be. I have no doubt that together we’ll win this fight.

“I’ll walk this path now, guided by faith, with strength, with resilience, with belief as I count down the days to getting back out there. Be patient with me.”

Spurs beat Manchester United 1-0 to be crowned Europa League champions, and the scoreline meant the Australian became the first manager since 1963 to go without a 0-0 draw in his first 100 games of managing at a league club (in all competitions).

The previous boss to do this was Bradford City’s Bob Brocklebank.

Of course, it's a debate as to whether it's a positive record, but Brocklebank achieved this from 1961 to 1963, after taking over from Peter Jackson in the manager's hot seat.

Brocklebank's reign at Valley Parade was topsy-turvy. He guided the club to fifth-place finishes in 1961–62 and 1963–64 in Division Four, but City had had to apply for re-election in the season between the promotion pushes.

The club's directors extended Brocklebank's contract in July 1964 for another two years, but three months later, disillusioned by a poor start, Brocklebank resigned.