Spurs: Conte dealt huge injury setback

Tottenham Hotspur have been dealt a huge injury setback ahead of their Champions League meeting with Olympique de Marseille on Tuesday evening.

What’s the latest?

That’s according to a report by the Evening Standard, who claim that all three of Cristian Romero, Dejan Kulusevski and Richarlison missed first-team training ahead of Spurs’ crucial trip to Marseille tomorrow evening – with all three players having been left out of Antonio Conte’s squad for the 3-2 win over AFC Bournemouth on Saturday.

The report goes on to state that, while Richarlison’s return date from a calf injury remains up in the air at present, there were hopes that both Kulusevski and Romero would be fit to feature in southern France on Tuesday, with the former seen running drills before the victory at the Vitality Stadium, while Conte suggested the latter was afforded a rest against the Cherries.

Huge blow

Considering just how impressive both Kulusevski and Romero have been since their respective moves to north London, should the duo be unavailable for the trip to the Orange Vélodrome tomorrow, coupled with Richarlison’s continued absence, it would undoubtedly come as a huge blow to Conte and his side’s chances of qualifying for the knockout stages of the Champions League.

Indeed, over Kulusevski’s 25 Premier League appearances since joining the club back in January, the £69m-rated winger has been in deadly form, scoring six goals, registering 11 assists and creating eight big chances for his teammates, as well as making an average of 1.6 key passes, taking 1.4 shots and completing 0.9 dribbles per game.

These returns have seen the £110k-per-week forward who Raj Chohan dubbed “unreal” average a rather remarkable SofaScore match rating of 7.06 over his two campaigns with the Lilywhites.

Meanwhile, over Romero’s 30 Premier League fixtures since his own move to north London last summer, the £69m-rated centre-back has been imperious in defence, helping his side keep six clean sheets, in addition to making an average of 1.5 interceptions, 2.6 tackles, 3.1 clearances and winning 5.7 duels – at a success rate of 61% – per game.

These metrics have seen the £165k-per-week defender who Oli Gamp labelled an “absolute colossus” average a simply sensational SofaScore match rating of 7.05 over his two seasons at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

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As such, considering just how important both players are within Conte’s starting XI, it is clear to see that the absence of the duo for a match which Spurs cannot afford to lose if they wish to qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions League would come as a crushing blow to Conte.