Son Heung-min (33, Tottenham) is preparing for the highly anticipated final ahead of the match against Aston Villa.
Tottenham stated on the 16th (Korea time) through the club's website that "Postecoglou said Son Heung-min will play 'at least half' in the Premier League match against Aston Villa on Friday evening. Captain Son Heung-min returned last Sunday to play against Crystal Palace, coming off the bench after 58 minutes.
Tottenham will face Aston Villa in the away match of the 37th round of the 2024-2025 season Premier League at Villa Park in Birmingham, England, at 3:30 a.m. on the 17th.
For Son Heung-min, this is the last opportunity to regain match fitness ahead of the UEFA Europa League (UEL) final against Manchester United for the 2024-2025 season. Tottenham will play against Manchester United for the tournament trophy on the 22nd at Estadio San Mamés in Bilbao, Spain.
Coach Postecoglou hinted at Son Heung-min's participation in the match against Villa. However, it is still uncertain whether he will start, so there is a good possibility that he will come on as a substitute in the second half. Coach Postecoglou said at a press conference that day, "Son Heung-min will definitely play tomorrow. Whether he starts or not. We'll see. But Son Heung-min showed a good reaction in the game a few days ago, and there was no problem with his foot. He trained well."
He also added, "Son Heung-min deserves to have more playing time. He could start, but if not, he will at least play half of the match." Son Heung-min played about 32 minutes excluding stoppage time in the recent Palace match.
Tottenham stated, "Now Postecoglou is expected to expedite Son Heung-min's return for the match against Villa. The UEFA Europa League final against Manchester United is less than a week away," and added, "Son Heung-min is back, but Dejan Kulusevski is confirmed to miss at least a few months after undergoing knee surgery on Wednesday. He will join James Maddison, Lucas Bergvall, Radu Dragusin, and Dane Scarlett on the injury list. Timo Werner will also be sidelined due to a hamstring injury."
Fortunately, Son Heung-min returned just in time for the final. He had been absent for a month after being substituted in the second half of the match against Frankfurt on the 11th of last month. His foot injury took longer than expected, causing him to miss sitting on the bench for seven consecutive matches. Son Heung-min made his return in the Palace match on the 11th after eight official matches. He appeared to lack match fitness, but it was a welcome return.
This final is also an opportunity that Son Heung-min cannot afford to miss. He made his professional debut in Hamburg, Germany, in 2010, but has never lifted a trophy in the past 15 years. Despite spending 10 years at Tottenham, his best finish has been second place on every occasion.
This is Son Heung-min's third time reaching the final of a club competition. He stepped onto the final stage of the UEFA Champions League in the 2018-2019 season but bowed his head in defeat to Liverpool, losing 0-2. In the 2020-2021 season, he participated in the League Cup final but could not surpass Manchester City, finishing as a runner-up and shedding tears.
Son Heung-min, challenging for his first career victory with 'two attempts and three tries.' Coach Postecoglou is also well aware of his desire to win. He said, "I am happy that Son Heung-min can play. He has been a significant force for us this season. He understands better than others what a trophy means to this team and himself, and he knows how important the victory is for both the club and him. It is a good thing that he can play again."
For Tottenham, winning the UEL trophy is the last hope to salvage this disastrous season. Tottenham has only obtained 38 points (11 wins, 5 draws, and 20 losses) through the 36th round, dropping to 17th place. This marks the first time the club has recorded 20 losses since the inception of the Premier League. If they fail to win this match, they will set a new record for the lowest points total, surpassing their previous low of 44 points in the 1997-1998 season.
After the Palace match, Coach Postecoglou also said, "I was glad that Son Heung-min was able to play for a few minutes. I hope he can secure more time against Villa. It's good to have Son back participating and able to play."
Concerns that Son Heung-min might not be able to play in the final seem to be alleviated. On the 12th, Coach Postecoglou stated, "Son Heung-min's condition is good. The few minutes he played yesterday were important. He needed the playing time. More than anything, it was psychologically very significant for him," and added, "He also handled today's training well. He didn't participate fully in the session since he played yesterday. Son Heung-min is in good condition, and there are still 8-9 days left. There’s another match to boost his condition on Friday."
He also emphasized, "Son Heung-min is recovering well. He needs to play for a few minutes against Villa. If he trains well, he will be in good condition. Son Heung-min worked hard with the medical staff to return. It was a bit of an odd injury, and there was no set return time. What mattered was how he felt and how things went. It was important for Son Heung-min to secure playing time, and now I hope he breaks out."
Attention is drawn to the outcome of Son Heung-min's challenge to ramp up his pace ahead of the final.
[Photo] ⓒGettyimages (Unauthorized reproduction and redistribution prohibited), Tottenham, Sky Sports, B/R Football social media.
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