Tottenham have a new pre-match routine for Micky Van de Ven’s hamstrings

Tottenham Hotspur’s physios took an unusual yet telling approach to Micky van de Ven’s hamstring during their Premier League clash against Bournemouth.

Micky van de Ven finally made his long-awaited return on Sunday, featuring in Tottenham Hotspur’s match against Bournemouth.

The Dutch defender, who had been sidelined for months, was given a solid 30-minute run-out as he worked his way back to full fitness.

Compared to Cristian Romero, who played 60 minutes and looked shaky in the early stages, the Dutchman seemed sharp and composed.

His return is a massive boost for Ange Postecoglou’s side, especially with a crucial Europa League second-leg tie against AZ Alkmaar on the horizon.

Tottenham physios’ hands-on approach with Micky van de Ven

Of course, Tottenham will be desperate to avoid any further injury setbacks for Van de Ven, and their physios took no chances on Sunday.

Dan Allnutt, speaking on The Tottenham Way Podcast, noted the extra attention given to the 23-year-old centre-back before he entered the fray. Allnutt observed that the pacy defender had extensive work done on his hamstring as he waited on the sidelines.

Spurs’ physios were seen applying cream, massaging, and shaking the muscle for a solid five to six minutes to ensure it was fully loosened up before he stepped onto the pitch.

“I do not know if you saw from where you were sitting, but there was someone – I cannot remember who it was – whose job it was to work on Van de Ven’s hamstring while he was waiting to come on,” Allnutt said.

“He was basically down on his knees, wobbling the hamstring, rubbing cream in, massaging it, giving it a shake. You sort of thought, after three or four months of rehab and recovery, this is the last push – let us just give everything we can to make sure this little muscle is as warm as possible.”

Spurs cannot afford another injury setback

Spurs must manage their players carefully to avoid further injury woes. Let’s not forget that at one point this season, the squad was missing 12 players through injury, significantly hampering their progress.

Indeed, Van de Ven was one of them. In fact, he has already missed 30 games due to various injuries, with two separate hamstring issues keeping him out for long spells.

Spurs must now strike a balance between easing him back into action and ensuring he gets the minutes needed to regain full match sharpness. Extra caution would be needed now especially with backup defender Kevin Danso now injured at Tottenham.

Here is a breakdown of Van de Ven’s injuries this season:

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