Was the statement made by 'vice-captain' Cristian Romero (27) correct? This time, even 'captain' Son Heung-min (33, Tottenham Hotspur) is reportedly suffering serious injuries due to the medical staff's improper response.
Tottenham lost 1-2 to Nottingham Forest in the 33rd round of the 2024-2025 Premier League at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on the 22nd (Korean time).
With this defeat, Tottenham has remained at just 37 points (11 wins, 4 draws, and 18 losses), falling to 16th place. They are only 1 point ahead of 17th place West Ham United (36 points), but Tottenham has already secured their stay regardless of the outcomes of the remaining matches. Ipswich Town, Leicester City, and Southampton have been relegated.
In contrast, Nottingham has risen to 3rd place with 60 points, overtaking Newcastle United (59 points). If this continues, they could qualify for the UEFA Champions League (UCL) for the first time in 44 years since 1981. This would also be a historic first since the inception of the Premier League in 1992.
With this loss, Tottenham suffered its first back-to-back league losses against Nottingham since the 1996-1997 season, losing face. Allowing Nottingham to achieve a 'double' against them is a humiliation not experienced in 28 years. Tottenham also lost 0-1 in their away match against Nottingham last December. If they lose just two more times in their remaining 5 matches, they will record a historic 20 losses in the league for the first time since the inception of the Premier League.
Son Heung-min watched the defeat of his teammates from outside the pitch again. He has missed three matches in a row due to a foot injury, following his absence in the last match against Wolverhampton Wanderers and the UEFA Europa League (UEL) quarter-final second leg against Frankfurt.
This was expected. Manager Ange Postecoglou noted in a press conference before the match, "Son Heung-min has been struggling with foot problems for some time. Therefore, I judged that now is the best time to give him the proper time to recover."
Moreover, Manager Postecoglou stated, "Son Heung-min will definitely miss the match against Nottingham. His condition has worsened rather than improved. Since rest is crucial for this type of injury, I will give him some time. Son always wants to train, but I think it is important to watch over him while letting him rest for a few days."
Ultimately, it is uncertain when Son Heung-min will be able to play again. Tottenham is eagerly awaiting his return for the UEL semi-final first leg against Bodø/Glimt on the 2nd of next month.
Son Heung-min's injury has been taking longer to heal than initially expected. Until the match against Wolverhampton, he seemed likely to join the team for the second leg against Frankfurt. The 'Premier League Injury' also predicted that Son would return for the second leg against Frankfurt, and local British media, including 'Standard,' had similar views.
However, Son has been unable to participate in both the Frankfurt match and the Nottingham match. The upcoming match against Liverpool is also uncertain. Even if he reaches a condition where he can play, there is a possibility that he may sit on the bench to prevent a recurrence.
'Tottenham News' expressed concerns that "it seems Son Heung-min has already played his last match for Tottenham," hinting at a potential season-ending injury. Dr. Razpal Brar, a sports physiotherapist and rehabilitation expert, pointed out that "the foot is the area that bears the most load, and even small injuries can often have complicated prognoses."
There are also criticisms that Manager Postecoglou forced Son Heung-min to play despite knowing about his injury. Son had complained of pain after being tackled deeply by an opponent around the 61st minute in the first leg against Frankfurt, but he was only substituted after playing for about 20 more minutes.
The Tottenham medical staff cannot escape responsibility either. Since last season, Tottenham has been struggling with a series of player injuries. While Manager Postecoglou's intense training and tactics have also been pointed out as an issue, there are concerns over the medical team's response. Last January, Geoff Scott, the Head of Team for Tottenham's medical and sports science team, resigned after a clash with Manager Postecoglou.
Last month, an incident occurred where Romero publicly targeted the Tottenham medical staff, drawing attention. After falling in December last year, he dedicated much longer to rehabilitation than expected and only returned to the pitch in early March. Romero then expressed in the Argentine media that "I could have returned faster, but there was no progress. Everything was entangled."
Additionally, even after playing a match in a Tottenham uniform for the first time in a long time, Romero targeted the Tottenham medical staff. He wrote on social media, "The Argentine physiotherapists helped me get out of a bad moment and allowed me to return to a very happy pitch. I am grateful," expressing his gratitude only to the Argentine national team.
If Son Heung-min also suffers prolonged injuries due to not receiving adequate treatment like Romero, it would corroborate the issues with the Tottenham medical staff. It would also raise red flags regarding Tottenham's attempt to escape a 17-year trophy drought while in the UEL semi-finals and Son's pursuit of his first career title.
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