Tottenhams’ top scorer ruled out for the rest of the season Postecoglou’s and Tottenham are compounded.
The Uruguay international is set to return to the sidelines after sustaining an injury that ended his first Tottenham Hotspur start in nine months.
Rodrigo Bentancur is set for another two-and-a-half months out after the Tottenham midfielder tore his ankle ligament during Sunday’s defeat against Aston Villa.
The 26-year-old Uruguayan international was making his first start for the club since February when he ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during a match at Leicester City. However, in the 27th minute on Sunday, Villa defender Matty Cash launched into a late challenge on Bentancur which left him crumpled on the floor.
After a few minutes of treatment, Bentancur was stretchered off the field and football.london has learned that scans have revealed that the tackle caused a ligament to tear in his ankle.
Bentancur is expected to make a return in February at the earliest, and will have been out for most of 2023 due to the two serious injuries sustained.
Speaking after the match, Ange Postecoglou said “I don’t know, it’s his ankle. It wasn’t a great tackle. He started the game really well and I think that helped us get a foothold in the game.”
He’s such a talented player. This is the last thing we need, another injury. We’re so sorry to lose him, but we still don’t know the extent of the injury.
“I need to see it again,” Bentancur’s Spurs teammate Dejan Kulusevic said. “Rodri was really upset and said it could be more than just a yellow card.”
“It’s really tough for Rodri,” said Kulusevic.
Bentancur is an incredible person and an incredible player. He’s out for eight months, returns after two games and then gets hurt again. Life is tough and he’s got a great family and good teammates to lean on. It’s tough because I love him so much as a player. He’s the one I want to fight with and they just take him out with a poor tackle. That’s just life.
Postecoglou’s injury to Bentancur adds to a lengthy list of first-team debuts for the coach, which already includes James Maddison and Micky van De Ven, as well as Richarlison, Manolo Gabbiadini, Simon Mignolet, Ivan Perisic and Cristian Romero.
The absence of Bentancur in January will further complicate Postecoglou’s Africa Cup of Nations campaign, as he will have to make up for lost time by playing for Malinke at the African Cup of Nations in Gabon.South Korea will be at the Asian Cup in the same time as South Africa, with captain Son Hyeong-min playing for the Socceroos.
