Speaking at a pre-Nottingham Forest press conference, Tottenham manager Igor Tudor shared an update on when star player James Maddison could return from injury.
Tottenham are looking to get a vital six points against Forest
Sunday is not just another Premier League game.
When Forest arrive at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, it will be the most important 90 minutes of Tudor’s reign so far – and possibly the most important of the entire season for both clubs.
The two teams are separated by one point, both heading for the Championship if things don’t go their way between now and May.
Win and Spurs are four points clear of the draw. Lose and they could find themselves in the bottom three. It’s as simple and brutal as that.
Tudor go into the game with more momentum than anyone could have predicted two days ago.
The defeat at Anfield ended a six-game losing streak. A 3-2 victory over Atlético Madrid on Wednesday – spirited, emotional, and ultimately not enough to overturn a 5-2 first-leg deficit – nevertheless brought something important: a sense of victory.
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The Serie A giants are after him.
Xavi Simons and Archie Gray were decent, Mathys Tel caused Atlético problems all night, and the Tottenham Hotspur stadium roared like it hadn’t in months.
The Champions League dream is over, but that performance gave Spurs a huge boost in their fight for survival.
Tudor will also have Joao Palhinha available after his controversial contract, with the Portuguese expected to return to the team this weekend.
Dominic Solanke, who missed the second leg against Atletico with a hip problem, may also feature, with Tudor telling reporters this morning that he hopes the striker will be available.
That is a significant improvement.
Solanke’s physicality and link-up play give Tudor’s attack something different going forward.
But one key piece of news from today’s press conference – delivered via Sky Sports reporter Michael Bridge – is the most interesting for a long time.
Igor Tudor shares James Maddison’s injury update outside Tottenham
Tudor revealed that Maddison may return from injury before the end of the season.
The 29-year-old has not kicked a ball since August. Playing in a pre-season friendly against Newcastle in Seoul, Maddison tore the ACL in his right knee – a devastating blow for a player who has already managed his fitness carefully after a previous knee issue.
He went under the knife days later. Seven months on, the protracted recovery is progressing so well that Tudor and the medical staff are allowing themselves a level of cautious optimism.
Maddison was spotted training alone on the grass next to Palhinha earlier this week – a small but significant sign that he is getting close.
Whether he actually does that before the final whistle of the season remains to be seen.
The ACL recovery is known to be unpredictable, and no one at the club is going to rush him. With seven games left after Sunday, the window is narrow.
But even the prospect of Maddison’s return – a player of true art and creativity who can unlock defenses with a single pass or a moment of inspiration – will lift the spirits of a team struggling through its worst season in decades.
Well, first, the Forest.
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