Coach Conte said, “The players who didn’t play in the World Cup are in good condition.” What about Son Heung-min?
Son Heung-min (30) may be excluded from the first English Premier League game to resume after the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
Tottenham, where Son Heung-min plays, will play the 17th round away game against Brentford at G-Tech Community Stadium in Brentford, England, from 9:30 p.m. on the 26th Korean time. It is the first game in EPL to announce the resumption after the World Cup. Tottenham, which kept fourth place with nine wins, two draws and four losses (29 points) in the league, is aiming to take the lead in the upcoming schedule.
But the situation is not easy. Hugo Lloris (France) and Christian Romero (Argentina), captains and goalkeepers who played in the final, will not be able to play on the day. Hisharlisson (Brazil) and Rodrigo Bentancourt (Portugal) are also not easy to play due to large and small injuries. Most of the players who participated in the World Cup are in a situation where it is difficult to control their condition during the season.
Coach Antonio Conte said, “The fact that Tottenham has 12 World Cup members means that we are on the right path to competition,” adding, “But it is not a normal situation if there are many players in such a bad condition. It is impossible to give a lot of rest (to players in the World Cup).” “The players who did not participate in the World Cup train for four weeks and show excellent condition. For this reason, we have to make the best decision against Brentford,” he added, referring to the possibility of using a large number of backups.
We cannot guarantee whether Son Heung-min will play or not. The match against Brentford is Son Heung-min’s first league match in about two months since the 14th round against Bournemouth on October 27. Son Heung-min later suffered an eye fracture in the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Champions League match early last month and was unable to participate in Tottenham’s game schedule and headed to Qatar. In Qatar, he played full-time in all four World Cup matches played by South Korea, wearing a mask for face protection. After returning to Tottenham, Son Heung-min was replaced in the second half wearing a mask in a friendly match against Nice (France) on the 21st, raising his physical condition.