Son’s worrying head injury takes gloss off Tottenham’s big night
SON HEUNG-MIN was able to
enjoy Tottenham’s post-match celebrations in the dressing room but concern remains after his unsteady exit in the first half at the Stade Velodrome.
‘We are not sure,’ said assistant manager Cristian Stellini. ‘It is his eye. He has one eye a bit swollen. We have to wait for a medical assessment but Sonny is feeling better. I saw him in the dressing room and he was able to celebrated with his team-mates.’
Son was caught a solid blow across his left cheekbone and required lengthy treatment while flat on his back.
He climbed to his feet gingerly, clearly shaken, with swelling taking hold on the side of his face. Chancel Mbemba had crashed a shoulder into him as they competed in the air. At least the correct protocol for a head injury was undertaken. Around the world, South Korean fears turned to the World Cup. Suddenly another of the world’s star players is praying for speedy recovery before the tournament starts. Son will not be the last in this situation.
Up in stands, on the eve of his first anniversary at the club, Antonio Conte looked on without expression. Liverpool visit the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday and yet another striker is on the injury list where Richarlison has spent the last two and a half weeks, where Dejan Kulusevski has been for much longer, and where Lucas Moura was for two months earlier this season. This time it was Son, Golden Boot winner and Conte’s main threat behind Marseille on the counter, at least in theory. Things had not been panning out the way Conte had hoped when he bid farewell to his players and took his seat in the stand. When the sides met in September, Igor Tudor’s side started equally well until Son who cracked the contest open because his extreme pace tempted Mbemba into a rash tackle for which he was sent off. Spurs took control against 10 men that night. Here, they found another way to salvage their Champions League future but it took time and effort.
The lengthy stoppage helped draw some of the sting from Marseille, who started well, roared on by a passionate home crowd determined to do whatever they could to help their team into the knockout stages of the Champions League for the first time since 2011. Fans set to work early on matchday, with the pyrotechnic faction lighting fuses on their first fireworks at 1.30am outside Tottenham’s swish hotel, on the Port du Prado, south of the city centre.
They were back for another session at 4.30am. ‘We slept very well,’ said Stellini drily, standing in for Conte on media duties. ‘We enjoyed the fireworks but they were a bit short.’ Spurs soon looked far from fresh. Unable to escape their half and unable to link up enough passes to alleviate the pressure from Marseille. They caught a breather as Son received treatment but two minutes into the seven added for the stoppage and Mbemba powered a header past Hugo Lloris from a corner. Up went the volume. Had Conte been on the touchline he would have barely been able to hear himself think, let alone heard.
In the still of half-time, Stellini made the necessary changes and Spurs were much better. Clement Lenglet’s header swung them back into the competition. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg won the tie with its final kick.
Spurs march into the last 16. Success. But concern remains for Son until more is known.