Mauricio Pochettino has revealed that Christian Eriksen will miss Tottenham’s Champions League fixture against APOEL on Tuesday night.
The Danish playmaker has begun the season in excellent form with two goals and four assists from seven appearances but has been ruled out of the trip to Cyprus due to illness.
Pochettino told the club’s official Twitter account: “Christian Eriksen had a very bad night and he is sick. He will not be ready for tomorrow and he stays in London.”
Spurs have been left with a depleted squad for the second game of the group stages, with Dele Alli and Jan Vertonghen also both missing through suspension.
Four other first teamers are absent through injury in longer term absentees Victor Wanyama, Mousa Dembele, Danny Rose and Erik Lamela.
TEAM NEWS: @VictorWanyama (knee), Danny Rose (knee), @ErikLamela (hips), @mousadembele (ankle) and @ChrisEriksen8 (ill) all unavailable. pic.twitter.com/bWRkudetY5
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) September 25, 2017
TEAM NEWS: @janvertonghen and @Dele_Official will also miss out in Cyprus through suspension. pic.twitter.com/89Bt74oiXR
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) September 25, 2017
OPINION
Spurs’ clash against APOEL is starting to take on banana skin status given the increasing number of walking wounded and unavailable players for the second of their group stage matches. None of the seven first teamers absent for Tuesday night will be more sorely missed than Eriksen, who has picked up where he left off last season with a series of sublime displays. Moreover, he does not have a direct replacement in the Spurs squad. His craft, vision and awareness are irreplaceable as far as Pochettino is concerned.