Tottenham Hotspurs manager Jose Mourinho has confirmed Giovani Lo Celso will miss tonight’s clash with Olympiacos, although he has recovered.
Lo Celso who was to return after around three months out, has recovered but won’t make the tie line up tonight. Mourinho has confirmed that Lo Celso’s absence has nothing to do with his previous injury.
“Gio is not ready, but it’s nothing to do with his previous important injury, from which he’s totally recovered,” Mourinho said.
“But with his accumulation of work, his feelings are not the best at the moment. A little bit of some back pain, so he’s had to stop working the way he was doing. So not for this match,” he confirmed.
“Apart from that, Joe Rodon the only player not selected because he is not in the UEFA list.”
He added, “As you know we can have two extra players on the Europa League bench. and everybody is selected and everybody is fit.”
“Am I going to repeat the same team that played against Crystal Palace? No, I’m going to make a few changes,” Mourinho responded.
“But the team is working very well, everybody is training hard, everybody is pushing to play.
He charged, “So for me, it doesn’t matter who is playing as our team is going to be strong.”
Meanwhile, former Spurs striker Dimitar Berbatov has sent a positive message to his former club. Berbatov told the spurs to punish Arsenal’s ‘leaking’ defense in this weekend North London Derby.
“This weekend it is the north London derby, and Spurs have the momentum with Bale also coming into form. However, it is a derby, and you just have to try and win that game,” Berbatov said.
“Arsenal are leaking goals and making mistakes. The Burnley goal highlights that. Spurs need to enforce that and make Arsenal make mistakes and not make mistakes themselves,” he explained.
Berbatov, who wishes Spurs, maintains consistency if they beat Arsenal, added, “A win over Arsenal will build their confidence even higher.
“Spurs had a good season in the beginning. Then they hit a dip in form and now again they have stepped up a gear up and are performing well.