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| 손흥민 SNS |
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| Reuters Yonhap News |
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'Son National' Son Heung-min (Tottenham)'s physical condition is unusual.
'Director's official statement' is not available for the time being. Tottenham manager Enze Postecoglou said at a press conference ahead of the home game against Nottingham Forest on the 20th (Korea time), `Son Heung-min will not participate.' Tottenham will play Nottingham at home on the 22nd in the 33rd round of the English Premier League (EPL) in 2024-2025 season.
He has missed three games. Son Heung-min was knocked down by a belated tackle by opponent striker Jean Matteo Bahoya in the first round of the Europa League quarterfinals (1-1 draw) against Frankfurt at home on the 11th. Son Heung-min was replaced in the 35th minute of the second half. The aftermath was larger than expected. He failed to play in the away game (2-4 losses) of the 32nd round of the EPL against Wolverhampton on the 13th. He was completely removed from the list. Tottenham explained on the club's channel that `Son Heung-min was excluded from the game because he was shocked by his foot.' Coach Postecoglou also said that he gave him a break to protect his players.
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| 사진=AP Yonhap News |
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It appeared to be a choice for the second leg of the Europa League quarterfinals. Tottenham, which has already been eliminated from the FA Cup and Carabao Cup (League Cup), must win the Europa League in order to play in the European club competition next season. The Europa League winner will be given the right to play in the European Champions League. Son Heung-min appeared in a team training video released by the Tottenham club on the 16th. Son Heung-min was also the main on the official poster of the second round of the quarterfinals uploaded by Tottenham on its official channel. The prevailing expectation was that Son Heung-min would take the lead.
However, a day before the showdown, Postecoglou announced Son Heung-min's absence. He said "Son Heung-min did not accompany him on the expedition after all. He is the only player missing this time. I've had some foot problems for weeks, and I've been holding out well, but the pain has intensified in the last few days. "I tried training yesterday, but I wasn't in good shape. So we decided to leave him at home and focus on his recovery" he said.
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| 사진=Action Images via Reuters-REUTER Yonhap News |
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Fortunately, Tottenham advanced to the semifinals by winning 1-0 despite Son Heung-min's absence. Son Heung-min, who watched the game from outside, said on his SNS, 'So much of you!! Well done!! Let ´ keep going. Well done, let's keep moving forward)', along with a 'Heart' emoji.
Son Heung-min's injury does not recover despite a series of breaks. Speaking at a press conference against Nottingham, Postecoglou said: `I'm not sure, but it's been a problem for quite some time"It was a situation that did not get any better, but rather worsened. So I decided it was a good time to give him some rest", he explained.
On the reason why he didn't come to Frankfurt away, Son Heung-min is constantly in touch with the players. We discussed whether we should accompany them on the expedition together. However, in order to secure the best chance for Son Heung-min to play in the semifinals, he decided that it would be better to leave it this timeSon Heung-min was also in the group chat room. I ran into him in the hallway this morning, and he was very pleased."
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| Photo = AFP Yonhap News |
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Coach Postecoglou finally said, `We don't know how much we'll miss. It is judged that the situation has worsened without getting better and that rest is absolutely necessary. Son Heung-min is a person who always wants to play, so I'm going to give him a break. We will wait and see over the next few days and determine how it goes."
As the situation is like this, there are many stories coming out. In connection with the recent decline in position due to sluggishness, there are even rumors that `Tottenham is preparing to run the team without Son Heung-min' and predictions of"season out". "The foot is a very complex area, especially in a game where intense movements are repeated, like professional football," said sports physiologist and rehabilitation expert Dr. Rajpal Brar. "This injury depends on the condition of the day, and the response to training and treatment is important."
John Wenham, who is familiar with Tottenham's news, told Tottenham News "The extent of the injury is unknown. All we know is that he is injured. It may be unfair to make too many comments before knowing the extent of his injuries. It can be a more serious injury than you think. To lose Son Heung-min is to lose a world-class player. There is nothing that any Tottenham fan would like more than Son Heung-min to go to the finals and win."
Son Heung-min suffered quite a few injuries during his career. Each time, he showed superhuman resilience. The last Qatar World Cup was a representative one. Son Heung-min recovered in three weeks even though he suffered an orbital fracture that required more than four weeks to recover. Even when he suffered a hamstring injury, he returned much faster than expected. After three weeks of diagnosis, he returned after 10 days and scored multiple goals.
Will Son Heung-min be able to break everyone's expectations again this time. First of all, D-Day is May 2, when the first round of the semifinals against Bodeau will be held at home.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
