Tottenham Hotspur is set to face AZ Alkmaar from the Netherlands in their UEFA Europa League (UEL) Group Stage Round 3 match on the 25th of October, 2024, at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. Ahead of the fixture, Tottenham’s manager Ange Postecoglou attended a press conference on the 23rd to address the media.
However, according to the British outlet Football London, Son Heung-Min was notably absent from Tottenham’s recent training session. This prompted immediate questions from the press regarding the South Korean star's condition.
In response, Postecoglou clarified, "Son felt some discomfort after the match against West Ham United. He will not be playing in tomorrow’s game. Even if he were fully fit, we would have decided to rest him. We’ll monitor his condition closely in the coming days."
It appears that Son’s recent injury has resurfaced. He had been instrumental in Tottenham's Europa League opener against Qarabag last month, providing an assist for Dominic Solanke’s third goal in a dominant performance. However, Son suddenly appeared in pain and had to sit down on the field shortly after the assist. Postecoglou substituted him out, offering him some much-needed rest.
Following this, Son was sidelined for several weeks. Coincidentally, just before his injury, Son had voiced his concerns at a fan forum, stating, "There are too many matches. To consistently perform at a high level for the fans, we need to reduce the number of games." Unfortunately, his injury shortly thereafter seemed to make him a victim of the congested fixture schedule.
During Son’s absence, Tottenham managed to maintain an unbeaten streak, but they suffered a 2-3 loss to Brighton & Hove Albion on October 7, which ended their run of good form.
Son's injury has also impacted the South Korean national team, managed by Hong Myung-Bo. South Korea played Jordan and Iraq in their Asian qualifying matches for the 2026 FIFA World Cup earlier this month. Although Hong had initially included Son in the squad, he eventually decided to exclude him to prioritize the player’s recovery.
Son, having stayed in the UK to focus on rehabilitation, made his return to action in Tottenham’s Premier League match against West Ham United on the 19th of October. His performance was impressive, showcasing his agility and sharpness as he relentlessly attacked West Ham's defense.
Son contributed to a 4-1 victory with an assist and by forcing an own goal from West Ham’s defense. In the 54th minute, he received a pass from Dejan Kulusevski and struck a left-footed shot, deflecting off a defender and into the net. Just a few minutes later, he added another contribution with a powerful left-footed shot after a clever step-over move, leaving West Ham’s goalkeeper helpless.
Despite his impactful performance, Postecoglou substituted Son in the later stages of the match, signaling that the forward was not yet fully fit. The manager's decision was likely precautionary, with an eye on preventing further complications.
Son will now sit out of the upcoming clash against AZ Alkmaar. Postecoglou reiterated that even if Son had been available, he would have chosen to rest him. "We want to ensure that Son receives the necessary care to avoid any serious injury," he emphasized. As Tottenham’s undisputed key player, keeping Son in top form is crucial to their ambitions this season.
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