Son successful in red-card appeal
Forward ‘on good form’ following Gomes injury Red Star manager plays down risk of racist abuse
Mauricio Pochettino has insisted he was “always confident” that Son Heung-min’s red card would be overturned, after the distraught Tottenham Hotspur forward avoided a three-match ban.
Son was sent off at Everton on Sunday after the tackle which led to Andre Gomes suffering a broken ankle, but the Football Association upheld Tottenham’s claim of wrongful dismissal yesterday after review by an independent panel.
The South Korean was inconsolable after witnessing Gomes – who had surgery on Monday and has since been released from hospital – in agony on the Goodison Park pitch, and Spurs have offered him counselling to deal with the aftermath of the shocking accident. Son is determined to move on from his trauma after flying out to Belgrade for Spurs’ fourth Champions League game, with manager Pochettino admitting he was “devastated” by the fallout from last weekend
“Sonny is OK and it is good for everyone that it was overturned, but most importantly it is fair,” he said. “It is good that the FA has decided this. It’s good for him and good for the team. I was always confident.
“All the players from Tottenham and staff feel sorry for Andre Gomes and what happened, and we are so happy at the news his surgery went well. Sonny was devastated after Sunday, but he is on good form now. After a few days, he is in a very good way.”
Harry Kane has also flown to the Serbian capital after missing the draw at Everton with illness, revealing he had given Son “a hug” on his return to training on Monday.
Kane and the Spurs squad are preparing for a hostile atmosphere at the Rajko Mitic Stadium, as Liverpool discovered in a 2-0 defeat last year. The North London side have made an underwhelming start to the campaign, but Kane insists Pochettino’s squad cannot be written off after reaching last season’s Champions League final.
“You look at where we started in the group stage last year and where we got to, we proved a lot of people wrong,” he said.
“We didn’t start this campaign great, either, but we got the win against Red Star and I think we’re in a better position than what we were after a few games last season.
“If we win on Wednesday, we’d be in a great spot to qualify and then in the knockout stages, as you saw last year, it can go anyone’s way so that’s what we’ve got to take.”
Kane has also reiterated that Spurs will follow the Uefa protocol if there is any racist chanting, following his experiences in Bulgaria with England last month.
He said: “Hopefully it doesn’t happen and we will play a tough football match and get the win. If anything does happen, there will be a protocol in place like there was in Sofia and we follow that.
“I have heard from other players that the atmosphere can be hostile. We have to make sure we’re ready.”
Red Star posted a “Say no to racism” video on their Instagram account yesterday and Vladan Milojevic, the head coach, insists the game will pass without problems.
“I can guarantee that everyone here will feel safe,” Milojevic said. “In our team we have players with different skin colours and never had a problem. We will show that we are the real hosts and that this is a country that embraces diversity.
“There is no reason to fear this. Supporters who come to the game will get to know a good country that is welcoming and proud.”
Though Kane has returned for Spurs, Hugo Lloris, Jan Vertonghen and Erik Lamela have stayed at home with injuries.
Serge Aurier, the full-back, has not travelled with the squad, but Pochettino claimed his absence was not related to his involvement in the Gomes incident.
Midfielder Harry Winks and defender Kyle Walker-peters have also been left at home.
Spurs are one point above the Serbian Superliga leaders in Group B, after thrashing them 5-0 in the first meeting last month.