Tottenham Hotspur face a mounting injury crisis ahead of their crucial Champions League group stage match against Eintracht Frankfurt. Key defenders Pedro Porro and Micky van de Ven will miss the game, while Randal Kolo Muani and Wilson Odobert were delayed by a minor car accident but are expected to be available. A win would secure direct qualification to the last 16 for Spurs.
Thomas Frank, Tottenham's manager, confirmed that Pedro Porro suffered a hamstring injury during the 2-2 Premier League draw against Burnley on Saturday, ruling him out for four weeks. The right-back, who had started Spurs' last 15 games across all competitions, did not travel with the squad to Germany and will miss upcoming fixtures against Manchester City, Manchester United, Newcastle, and Arsenal. Micky van de Ven, the centre-back, has a minor injury—unrelated to his previous hamstring issues—and also sat out Tuesday's training, though Frank hopes he can return for Sunday's home league game against Manchester City.
Adding to the woes, forward Randal Kolo Muani and winger Wilson Odobert were involved in a minor car accident en route to Stansted Airport. The incident, caused by a tyre blowout on the motorway in Kolo Muani's black Ferrari, left the vehicle with front-end damage but no injuries. Odobert, following in a separate car, stopped to assist. Frank stated: "Kolo Muani and Wilson Odobert are both fine. Unfortunately they were both involved in a minor accident … It was a tyre blowing up and so the two of them are a little bit delayed. But they will land later tonight. I fully expect both to be available for tomorrow."
On a brighter note, midfielder João Palhinha is back after missing three games with a knock, and Pape Matar Sarr is available following his Africa Cup of Nations triumph with Senegal, though he has yet to play for Spurs since returning. However, Tottenham are severely depleted: 14 senior players are unavailable, including the ineligible Conor Gallagher, Yves Bissouma, Radu Dragusin, Souza, and Mathys Tel for this stage. Others out are James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, Rodrigo Bentancur, Mohammed Kudus, Lucas Bergvall, Ben Davies, and Richarlison. With only 11 outfield players fit, Frank is down to the bare bones of his squad.
The match at Deutsche Bank Park on Wednesday, January 28, at 8pm GMT, is pivotal. Tottenham sit fifth in the Champions League group table, guaranteed a playoff spot but needing a win to finish in the top eight and advance directly to the last 16, avoiding a two-legged tie. Despite their dismal domestic form—14th in the Premier League with just two wins in 14 matches and out of both cups—Spurs have found respite in Europe. Frank remains optimistic: "I’m very happy that the team and club are in a position where, with a win tomorrow, we can finish top eight in the best club tournament in the world."
Eintracht Frankfurt, already eliminated and fourth from bottom in the group with four points, are in turmoil. They sacked manager Dino Toppmöller recently, appointing under-21s coach Dennis Schmitt as interim, who has lost his first two games, including a late 3-2 defeat to Qarabag. Frankfurt are eighth in the Bundesliga and have conceded three goals in each of their last five matches across competitions.
