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Postecoglou not letting the Europa League ‘slip by without fighting’ (1:20)

Ange Postecoglou speaks ahead of Tottenham’s Europa League quarterfinal second leg vs. Frankfurt. (1:20)

Apr 17, 2025, 03:16 AM ET

Ange Posetcoglou has confirmed that Tottenham Hotspur captain Son Heung-Min will miss Thursday’s crucial Europa League quarterfinal second leg meeting with Eintracht Frankfurt due to a foot injury.

Son has not travelled with the squad to Germany after being absent from the Spurs team that lost 4-2 at Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday.

The north London club drew 1-1 with Frankfurt in the first leg at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last week.

If Tottenham Hotspur are to reach the Europa League semifinals, they will have to do so without Son Heung-Min. Rob Newell – CameraSport via Getty Images

“He has been battling with a foot problem. It’s got too painful so we made a decision to leave him at home,” Postecoglou told a news conference on Wednesday.

“Sonny tried really hard. We left him out at the weekend to try to allow him time to recover but he couldn’t make it. We’ve had these challenges like this all year, this is just another.”

The South Korea international’s absence from the squad will have come as a major blow to Postecoglou.

The Australian’s position as head coach is under intense pressure following Spurs’ disastrous season in which they have suffered 17 Premier League defeats and lie 15th in the table as a result.

A failure to build upon a promising first season under Postecoglou, exacerbated by a mid-season injury crisis, has left Spurs with only the promise of a Europa League triumph to save their season and end their 17-year trophy drought.