Tottenham Hotspur supporters have been left frustrated after star forward Dominic Solanke picked up yet another injury during their Europa League clash against AZ Alkmaar.
Coming into their Europa League clash against AZ Alkmaar, Tottenham Hotspur were well aware of the Dutch side’s impressive European knockout record.
AZ had won eight of their last nine knockout ties, proving themselves more than capable of causing an upset.
They did just that. Tottenham struggled to impose themselves, with Alkmaar dictating play for large parts of the game, eventually securing a well-deserved victory.
It was a frustrating night for Ange Postecoglou’s side, who failed to create enough clear-cut chances. In fact, Spurs only shot on target came in the 87th minute of the game.
There was, however, a boost on the injury front before kick-off. Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero, and Dominic Solanke made it to Tottenham’s Europa League team, after their lengthy spell away.
Tottenham fans react as Dominic Solanke picks up new injury
Although Van de Ven and Romero remained unused substitutes, Solanke was handed valuable minutes in the second half as Postecoglou looked to ease him back into action and improve his match sharpness.
He came on in the 72nd minute, but just 18 minutes later, his night was over. A collision with AZ’s goalkeeper left him clutching his hip, forcing Spurs to make an unexpected change.
With no official update on the severity of the injury, Tottenham fans wasted no time in making their feelings known. One supporter questioned the decision to play him, stating: “Jesus – if he was not ready to play, why was he in there? That play looked innocuous.”
Another added: “I thought he was a player who would be available every match, never injured. Turning into Richarlison 2.0.”
A frustrated fan said: “Great, another ruined forever by Angeball. It will be the same as the Micky van de Ven case – play one game and we will not see him for another few weeks.”
Another simply hoped for the best: “I am hoping he just landed funny and he will eventually walk it off.”
Spurs desperate for Solanke’s quick recovery
One fan attempted to estimate the length of the setback, stating: “Knee in the lower back. Will be similar to a dead leg. A painful one. Could miss two weeks unless it settles down quickly.”
Solanke’s absence has been a major blow for Spurs, especially with new signing Mathys Tel struggling to have an impact in games since arriving in north London.
Tottenham will be hoping the knock is nothing serious and that their star forward will be back on the pitch as soon as possible. Fortunately, Ange Postecoglou has hinted that Solanke has not picked up a serious problem.