Tottenham Hotspur are facing a midfield injury crisis ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League semi-final with Ajax, as Mauricio Pochettino confirmed this afternoon that Harry Winks will miss out.
Pochettino was speaking after Spurs’ 1-0 defeat to West Ham United this afternoon, a blow to their attempts to qualify for next season’s Champions League. And Pochettino admitted that of his first-choice midfield pairing, Winks will not play on Tuesday and Moussa Sissoko is a doubt.
Winks has not featured since his impressive performance in the first leg against Manchester City, as he has struggled with a hip injury. Spurs were hoping he would recover for Tuesday night but he has not. Sissoko went off with a groin injury during the second leg of the City quarter-final, and Spurs will give him a late fitness test before deciding if he can play.
“Sissoko, I don't know we will have to assess tomorrow,” Pochettino said. “I think Harry Winks no.” Harry Kane is out with an ankle injury, Heung Min Son is suspended but Jan Vertonghen is expected to return.
Spurs will have to raise their level on Tuesday after a defeat that Pochettino put down to “stress and fatigue” of their recent fixtures.
“We cannot say now we were thinking about Tuesday,” Pochettino said.
“When the stress and fatigue arrived that is our reality. We are a very competitive team when we are with full energy, we are so focused.
"The stress and the fatigue arrived, we are competing with circumstances that are not the best.”
West Ham cut through Spurs in the second half and could have scored more than one goal. “It is the reality,” Pochettino said. “I think first half was good for us. Second half they were better. I think they showed more energy than us in the second half.”
