Roberto De Zerbi has offered the latest update on James Maddison after the Tottenham midfielder picked up a minor issue following his 20-minute cameo against Leeds United.
Tottenham Hotspur fans will be hoping their side is up for the task against Chelsea on Tuesday night when the two meet for the second time in the Premier League this season.
That encounter is the biggest one in recent history for Spurs since their Europa League final against Manchester United last season, given that their top-flight status is at stake.
A draw at Stamford Bridge will simply be enough for Tottenham to secure their league status and avoid the complication of having to go into the final day under pressure to get a positive result.
Tottenham Roberto De Zerbi provides James Maddison fitness update ahead of Chelsea clash
Coming into this clash, Roberto De Zerbi has had no fresh injury concerns. In fact, he has received an injury boost with Guglielmo Vicario now returning to full fitness.
That leaves Spurs with just the seven players out, as Dominic Solanke continues to nurse his hamstring problem. James Maddison returned last time out against Leeds United after being out for over a year. He got a solid 20 minutes under his belt against Leeds and should be in contention on Tuesday.
De Zerbi has now revealed where Maddison is in terms of fitness, explaining that the midfielder picked up a minor issue earlier in the week but has since returned to training.
Speaking on Maddison’s condition and his availability ahead of Chelsea, he told football.london: “At the beginning of this week, he did not work for a small problem.
“But yesterday and today, James is working very well. He is a special player, he is a different player. Now he is not ready to play 90 minutes. I want to speak with him tomorrow morning and to take the best decision we can.”
Spurs must plan careful Maddison management as De Zerbi weighs Chelsea options
With Maddison not fully fit enough to start from the off, Tottenham will likely line up almost identically to how they have done in recent weeks.
De Zerbi will again have to turn to his fit midfield options, with Conor Gallagher, Joao Palhinha and Rodrigo Bentancur expected to provide energy, control and creativity in the middle of the pitch.
Maddison, though, remains a key option from the bench, offering Spurs a potential creative spark should they need to find a goal against Chelsea.