Son came off in the first half at the Stade Velodrome after a collision with Chancel Bemba and looked very wobbly as he left the pitch. Spurs went on to seal their place in the last 16 with a 2-1 win last time out as second-half goals from Clement Lenglet and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg overturned Mbemba’s first-half opener. But Sean’s injury is a concern, especially with the Premier League clash with Liverpool coming up on Super Sunday, while he could have concerns about the upcoming World Cup. Image: Sean leaves the field midway through the first half Assistant coach Cristian Stellini, representing the suspended Antonio Conte, said: “At the moment we don’t know. We have to wait for a medical assessment. Sonny is feeling better now. I saw him in the dressing room, he celebrated with us. “Right now we don’t know. We have to wait for a medical evaluation and we have to wait until tomorrow. We’re not sure if he’s concussed. It’s Sean’s face. His eye is a little swollen.”
PFA renew calls for temporary concussion substitutes
Sean’s head injury was not the only setback of its kind as English sides battled for Champions League victory on Tuesday night, as Liverpool’s James Milner also suffered a similar knock in his side’s 2- 0 against Napoli. The two head injuries came in the same week that the PFA renewed calls to introduce temporary concussion substitutes into the game, allowing teams to make an interim change while they check a player’s head injury away from the field, before reversing the switch if the player is ok to continue. Current regulations, described by the PFA as “putting player health and safety at risk”, only allow for permanent concussion substitutions, whereby a team receives an additional substitution if a player is forced off with a head injury. Image: The son took part in medical checks before leaving the field “Permanent substitutions do not allow medical teams to assess a player with a potentially serious brain injury in an appropriate environment,” said Dr Adam White, Head of the PFA’s specialist Brain Health unit. “The rules as they stand create an extremely difficult situation and offer no support to medical staff.” UEFA has not incorporated the existing permanent concussion substitution rule into major European competitions such as the Champions League, Europa League and Nations League. Dr White added: “This situation needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency. As a minimum, UEFA, as one of football’s most important governing bodies, should lead by example and introduce the permanent concussion replacement rule available. This is a matter that will put the PFA directly to UEFA.”
Lloris hails Tottenham’s ‘mentality’ in Marseille
Hugo Lloris believes Tottenham’s Champions League win in Marseille highlighted the growing personality among his team-mates. Antonio Conte’s side reached the last 16 of the Champions League as winners of Group D after a nervy climax. The Londoners, who only needed to avoid defeat to go through, endured a first-half siege and followed Mbemba’s header into stoppage time before the break. However, Lenglet proved to be Tottenham’s savior when he scored his first goal for the club in the 54th minute to equalise. Hojbjerg then sealed a stoppage-time winner to put Tottenham top of the group and leave Marseille, who were top at one stage of the night, in fourth place and out of Europe. Image: Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg celebrates a late winner
Drama for Spurs this season
Chelsea 2-2 Tottenham – injury time equalizer from Kane Tottenham 2-1 Fulham – Richarlison sent off by VAR for offside Sporting 2-0 Tottenham – Paulinho and Arthur Gomes score for Sporting in stoppage time Tottenham 3-2 Frankfurt – Kane misses injury time, Lloris has to save from Faride Alidou Tottenham 1-1 Sporting – Kane’s stoppage-time winner ruled out by VAR Bournemouth 2-3 Tottenham – winner due to injury by Bedancourt Marseille 1-2 Tottenham – Tottenham overcame a first-half siege before grabbing an unlikely 2-1 win in Marseille to reach the last 16 of the Champions League as Group D winners after a shock conclusion
“To be honest, we expected this kind of game. The Stade Velodrome is a very difficult place and I think we showed a lot of personality,” Lloris said. “Clément (Lenglay) scored a very important goal in France, in front of the French. The second goal from Pierre (Hoibierg) confirmed things for the group. We didn’t play well in the first half. Maybe we didn’t It wasn’t good for us to let’s play this kind of first half. “We’re talking in the dressing room – we’re starting the second half with a lot more personality and aggression. We play a very good second half. “It was a tough night, a big battle and even more psychological battle because we could feel that in the first half a team was playing without fear of losing, it was Marseille and in the second half we are facing a team with the fear of losing.” Use Chrome browser for more accessible video player Harry Kane and his Tottenham teammates celebrated their Champions League promotion with some dancing in the dressing room!
Merson: Sows, but needs to improve
Use Chrome browser for more accessible video player Paul Merson reacts to Tottenham Hotspur’s late win away to Marseille which sent them into the Champions League knockout stages as group winners. It was a result that looked almost possible in the first 45 minutes as Spurs appeared dazed and confused by Marseille’s relentless attack. Spurs were a different proposition after the interval and took control after Lenglet equalised. Hoijberg hit the crossbar for the visitors but Marseille should have scored late on when Sead Kolasinac somehow missed an open goal with a header. Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson believes Tottenham will need to improve if they are to progress further in the competition, having reached the last 16. Use Chrome browser for more accessible video player Tottenham Hotspur defender Ben Davies said the club are delighted to have reached the knockout stages of the Champions League after a 2-1 win in Marseille. “Spurs couldn’t put three passes together in the first half,” Merson told Soccer Special. “Once they started putting more passes together, the game opened up for them and they were a threat. They managed the game well. “Tottenham did really well in the second half but when you get to 16 you can’t keep giving teams heads. It will catch up with you soon. “When the shackles are off and the fear factor is out of the game, Spurs have got some good players who can move the ball very quickly. But they don’t do that, they sit back. Kane was literally 35 yards from his own goal in the first half. They didn’t have an outlet, they have to take a chance sometimes. It’s very negative for me. “You can’t go on with teams. They were lucky in a few games like Bournemouth on Saturday and again today against an average team in Marseille.”
“Conte is very tired – he lived the game in the crowd”
Spurs’ place in the last 16 was not assured until Hojbjerg won it with the last kick of the game to seal top spot in Group D. With Marseille needing a win to go through and a defeat to knock Spurs out, it was a night of danger for the Premier League side in a hostile environment in Provence. Conte, who celebrates one year in charge on Wednesday, was forced to watch from the stands due to his red card following the VAR dispute against Sporting Lisbon last week, which meant Tottenham’s qualification fate went to the final match. Image: Lenglet celebrates after scoring in Marseille And the Italian went through the effort as his side put in a lackluster first-half performance, deservedly falling behind to Mbemba’s header. The second half was a different story, however, and Lenglet put Spurs back in control with a header of his own in the 54th minute. But with Marseille needing just a goal to see them off, it was a nervy night until Hojbjerg’s late intervention. And it was not a night Conte was enjoying. Use Chrome browser for more accessible video player Harry Kane believes Tottenham showed great character after coming from behind to beat Marseille and finish top of their Champions League group Stellini added: “I had the chance to talk to Antonio. He was very tired. He lived the game in the crowd, it’s not normal. Maybe he spent more energy in the stands than usual on the touchline. “The first half was very difficult. In the difficult times we did not lose our minds. We stayed in the match. The goal we conceded was terrible because they took it from a corner…
