Tottenham play their last home game in this year’s Champions League group stage and a win for them is crucial. However, injuries and poor form could affect their performance…
The North London side sits top of Group D and a win against second-placed Sporting will secure their place in the last 16.
Tottenham are confirmed to be without attacking threats Dejan Kulusevski and Richarlison, with Conte saying “No chance” as to whether either play on Wednesday evening.
Kulusevski has been sidelined since he picked up a hamstring injury whilst on international duty for Sweden at the end of September with his last game for Spurs being a 6-2 win vs Leicester. Without him, Tottenham have been on inconsistent form and have struggled to score many goals. His return date is unknown, but there are hopes he will be back in the coming weeks.
Richarlison picked up a calf injury earlier in the month in Spurs’ 2-0 win over Everton. Without him the Lilywhites have lost both the games they have played and scored only 1 goal. There are worries that Richarlison will not be fit before the World Cup which starts in less than a month.
The absence of both these players has left Spurs with limited attacking options, and before a crucial Champions League clash, it puts them in a sticky situation. Bryan Gil and a slowly returning Lucas Moura remain available, but Conte has stated that a midfield-dominant side is what is necessary for the moment, meaning Ivan Perisic may come back into the starting 11 for this game.
Pierre-Emile Højbjerg and Cristian Romero are also doubts for Wednesday’s clash as both missed Tottenham’s loss to Newcastle on Sunday with fatigue and muscle-related injuries. Their presence was missed greatly, with Spurs looking extremely poor. Conte has said that he doesn’t have an answer as to whether either will play against Sporting, but that they need to recover first and will be assessed before the game.
Alongside the injuries, Tottenham are in a run of bad form having lost 2 league games in a row for the first time since February, and their first-time dropping points at home since their loss in April to Brighton. This may create a lack of confidence before this important fixture.
On the opposite side, Sporting come into this game on the back of a 3-1 league win and momentum, with attacker Marcus Edwards returning to North London to face his former club. Despite the positives, the Lisbon side are on a 7-game run without a clean sheet, inconsistent overall form in the league, and a manager still linked with a move away.
Sporting also have injury and suspension problems before this crucial clash. Centre-backs Daniel Braganca, Luis Neto, and Sebastian Coates will all miss the match against Tottenham with injuries, leaving limited center-half options. Ricardo Esgaio and Pedro Goncalves will also serve their match bans following their red cards in their last Champions League game vs Marseille.
In Group D there are only 3 points between first-placed Tottenham and last-placed Frankfurt. The Germans face Marseille and the result could heavily impact both Spurs and Sporting, so a loss to the Portuguese side could greatly hinder the Lilywhites’ chances of qualifying and if results don’t go their way, they could end the evening in third place.
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