Dejan Kulusevski's injury meets Tottenham, where it hurts – you need him back for the Europa League final

It has been clear for a few months that the Premier League games from Tottenham Hotspur is an unnecessary distraction from their striving to Europa League -ruhm.

So it was no surprise that Poseteclou for the match against Crystal Palace had made eight changes compared to the victory on Thursday evening via Bodo/Glimt in the semi -finals in the half -angle and threw marginal members of the squad together.

Nobody was particularly surprised when they lost 2-0 against Palace on Sunday. Nobody was particularly disturbing that West Ham United's victory against Manchester United meant that Spurs fell on 17th place in the table. There was no trouble from the stands or the players in a defeat in the 20th league – everyone stopped taking care of their league form a long time ago.

This game could have been forgotten immediately if Spurs defeated the Europa League in Bilbao Manchester United on May 21. But something happened in the 19th minute.

Dejan Kulusevski had already been injured by a challenge by Will Hughes, but he remained interrupted after a duel between the palace captain Marc Guehi. A member of Tottenham's medical staff hurried to the field and rubbed Kulusevski's right knee for a few minutes. The Swedish international got up on the touchline and tried to run, but limped in pain. He was replaced by Mikey Moore and went down the tunnel directly with an employee and teammate Yves Bissoumer.

Tottenham's season was disturbed by a crippled injury crisis, so we may not be surprised. It would be a disaster if Kulusevski is not available for the final. After Lucas Bergvall and James Maddison are excluded, Spurs in midfield are already desperately low.

Maddison is responsible for falling in dangerous areas and ping ping, while Kulusevski and mountain Vall are excellent ball bearers. Brennan Johnson is her leading goal scorer with 11 goals this season, but he is closely followed by Maddison (nine), Dominic Solanke (eight), Son Heung-Min and Kulusevski (both seven). It would be harmful to lose Kulusevski and Maddison's runs from Deep, and both are drawn about several defenders and opened the room for teammates to use them.

They are also older figures in the changing room. Kulusevski started and won the Coppa Italia final with Juventus in 2021 and Maddison raised the FA Cup this year with Leicester City. Her experience and ability to keep the ball under pressure were crucial for the progress of this team in several Cup competitions this season.

Too many people have forgotten that Kulusevski was the best player in the first half of Tottenham's campaign when he regularly appeared in a central attack role. He was involved in nine goals in 19 games and inspired the victory in September against United in Old Trafford.

The relentless energy and technical skills of the 25-year-old tore apart the team. His strength has been weakened by fatigue and foot injury since January. Kulusevski initially injured his foot in February, but continued to play a few weeks. He was such an integral part of Posetecoglous plans, which he presented in all first 42 games in Tottenham this season.

The game on Sunday against Crystal Palace should give Kulusevski valuable playing time. He did not score a goal in his last eight appearances and looked a sign. Even if he quickly recovered, this was a lost opportunity to build up sharpness.

Postecoglou then seemed optimistic about Kulusevski's injury. “He should be fine to speak to him only afterwards,” said the Australian. “The medical team is not too concerned about him. It is more of a knock than anything else. We hope that he should be fine.”

Postecoglou said Kulusevski should be “okay” for the Europa League final (Steven Paston/Pa picture about Getty Images)

However, the fans will understandably be careful before these words. Maddison hobbled against Bodo/Glimt in the second half of the semi -finals and postecoglou said it didn't seem to be “something serious”. A few days later he admitted that it doesn't look promising. Maddison will not need an operation, but has suffered alleged ligament damage, and his recovery could take up to three months.

If the worst-case scenario takes place and Kulusevski is not available, who will be the Spurs playmaker against Manchester United in Bilbao? A midfield trio with bissoum, Pape Matar Sarr and Rodrigo Bentancur feels too functional. Moore played as No. 10 in Tottenham's academy, but it would be a great gambling to start 17-year-old wingers in an integral part of this importance. Wilson Odobert played the son in the second half against Palace, but there was not enough evidence to draw fixed conclusions about whether the Frenchman could bloom centrally. You can strongly argue that Kulusevski, given the lack of proven alternatives that were the least ideal player who suffers an injury.

“The boys today had the opportunity to drive their names forward and put pressure on the boys who played the other night.

“I try to urge this boys that they sometimes only have to take advantage of the possibilities in football. They will never be perfect. We have made eight changes, but there is a chance there, and they just have to take them if they are presented to them, and I am disappointed that more has not been going forward today.”

The only positive that appeared was the son's return of a foot injury. This was the first appearance of the South Korean striker since the quarter -finals against Eintracht Frankfurt.

But it feels typical of the chaotic season of Spurs, which has returned one of her most important players on the same day, you may lose another.

(Top photo: Julian Finney/Getty Images)