It may seem like Ange Postecoglou has been doing a lot of press conferences lately, and that’s because he has. Today, he held another pre-match press briefing ahead of tomorrow’s Premier League clash against Aston Villa. This match was rescheduled by the Premier League to provide Tottenham Hotspur with extra preparation time before the Europa League final in Bilbao, much to the displeasure of Villa fans.
However, the focus of today’s press conference was not on Villa’s frustrations but rather on the new injury crisis impacting Spurs ahead of the final. The club announced that Dejan Kulusevski underwent knee surgery due to an injury sustained from a tackle by Marc Guehi in last weekend’s match against Crystal Palace. Kulusevski joins Lucas Bergvall and James Maddison on the injured list, leaving Spurs thin in central midfield.
Speculations arose on social media that Bergvall might return to play in Bilbao after he was seen without a boot on the training field. But Postecoglou quickly dismissed those rumors, confirming that Bergvall won’t be available for the match.
“No, it is still the same timeframe. He was never a long-term one but he has literally just got out of the boot and taken his first tentative steps on the grass but he won’t be available.”
Postecoglou expressed disappointment over Kulusevski’s injury, elaborating on how it occurred and the anticipated recovery period. Initially thought to be minor, the injury escalated, resulting in surgery that will likely sideline Kulusevski for several months.
“Disappointing news. Initially, we thought it wasn’t too serious… He has had surgery and it will put him out for at least a few months.”
While Postecoglou refrained from providing a specific timeline, he indicated that Kulusevski’s absence would definitely be measured in months, rather than weeks. Despite the injury challenges faced this season, he emphasized the team’s resilience and readiness to compete as they approach the Europa League final.
“We are certainly going to go out there and try to win the game tomorrow and put out a team that hopefully gets the job done.”
Tottenham is set to face Aston Villa tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. BST, with coverage available on USA Network in the colonies and Sky Sports in the UK.
