Tottenham Hotspur face one of the biggest matches in their recent history in the next few days when they take on Ajax in the Champions League semi-final first leg.
The first match in the two-legged tie will take place at the brand new Tottenham Hotspur stadium, a ground in which Spurs are yet to taste anything but a victory.
Pochettino’s men have played four games, won four, scored eight, and conceded none in this time, a record they will want to keep up against the Dutch giants along with tomorrow’s visit of West Ham United in the Premier League.
However, Spurs may be without a number of their key first-team stars, with the likes of Harry Kane, Moussa Sissoko, Harry Winks, Erik Lamela, and Serge Aurier all out injured (Spurs Official Twitter).
These five are all doubts for the first leg of the semi-final on Tuesday, and with Son also banned for disciplinary reasons, it is leaving the Tottenham squad rather bare (PhysioRoom).
Pochettino has now revealed that all of these injured five could feature again this season.
He said (Football London): “With all that we’re playing today in the period that we are it’s so difficult for the players to be out. For Lamela, for Serge Aurier, Harry Kane, Harry Winks and Moussa, it’s so difficult because it’s such an exciting moment for the club and team and you need to see yourself outside of the squad and not involved in the games. It’s so tough, so sad for them, but all together we try to keep pushing them, helping them, being focused because I think they can arrive if we have some luck and perform in the way that we want, maybe all these players that we’re talking about today they have the possibility to play before the end of the season and that is a massive motivation. They must think that they can help the team to finish the season.”
Spurs Web Opinion:
Tottenham are perhaps fortunate that the first leg of the semi-final will take place home. With all the current injured stars, Pochettino will be unable to field the team he would like in the crucial match. However, Ajax are less likely to come at Tottenham all guns blazing at the new stadium, meaning Spurs may have the chance to grab a narrow lead to take into the away leg, as they did against City. This would then give the club more time to get the likes of Sissoko and Winks back to fitness for the trip to Amsterdam.
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