Mauricio Pochettino has revealed he doubts Tottenham defender Ben Davies will be available against Real Madrid.
Spurs travel to the Bernabeu on Tuesday night for a Champions League group stage match and are likely to be without the 24-year-old.
Davies missed the narrow 1-0 win over Bournemouth at the weekend through illness and his expected absence against Madrid will be a big blow to the back-line.
He has been an ever-present in the left wing-back position and it may cause several changes to the starting XI.
Pochettino was asked whether Davies will be able to make his comeback in the Champions League, but the manager expects him to be sidelined.
“It’s difficult. I don’t believe so,” Pochettino said, as quoted by Football London. “I hope that he (Davies) can be involved again as soon as possible, but we need to assess him. But I am not so positive. I hope that I am wrong and tomorrow he can train with us.”
Davies has been a consistent performer at full-back this season and the Welshman was a big miss at the weekend.
Danny Rose is nearing a return to the Spurs team after a long-term absence through injury and he is the main competition for Davies.
However, Pochettino may have to turn to either Kieran Trippier or Kyle Walker-Peters to fill in the vacant left-back slot against European powerhouses Madrid.
OPINION
Spurs will be significantly weaker without Davies in mid-week and that is not something you can afford against Spanish giants Madrid. The full-back has improved drastically in the past 12 months and would be a guaranteed starter on Tuesday if available for selection. However, the best solution would be to play Serge Aurier at right-back and switch Trippier over to the left-back position. The North London club should have enough protection with their three centre-backs and Pochettino has already expressed his desire to be on the front foot against Madrid.