Tuesday 10 March 2020 06:07, UK
Tottenham head coach Jose Mourinho does not expect Steven Bergwijn to play again this season as the club's injury crisis continues to escalate.
The Netherlands winger suffered a sprained ankle during Saturday's 1-1 draw at Burnley and Mourinho believes the injury is bad enough to keep him out for the rest of the campaign.
It is a crushing blow for Mourinho and Spurs on the eve of their Champions League last-16 second leg with RB Leipzig, where they have to overturn a 1-0 deficit in Germany.
Bergwijn joins Harry Kane and Heung-Min Son in the treatment room and Tottenham's attacking options look bare for a game in which they must score two goals to progress in normal time.
"Steven, I don't expect him to play this season," Mourinho said. "Can I believe it? Yes, I can.
"I have never known it like this, especially speaking about traumatic injuries. Only Harry Kane's injury was not a traumatic injury but a typical injury of the December period in the Premier League.
"Hugo Lloris, (Moussa) Sissoko, Sonny, Steven Bergwijn are all traumatic and never for a couple of weeks. That's what it is.
"We were psychologically more down with the other injures. This one, from three, four or five to six or seven is the same. No problem."
Last season's beaten finalists Spurs head into the game as underdogs but Mourinho is in relaxed mood ahead of the clash at the Red Bull Arena.
"I am very motivated, very calm, very positive," he said.
"But if you want to imagine Leipzig tomorrow without (Timo) Werner, (Patrik) Schick, (Christopher) Nkunku, (Yussuf) Poulsen, (Emil) Forsberg - I am pretty sure the coach [Julian Nagelsmann] would not be laughing as much as I am now."
Leipzig are in uncharted territory, having never previously played a knockout tie at this level, and head coach Nagelsmann wants his team to create history.
"The chance of a Champions League quarter-final is extremely good," he said.
"Any athlete who has the chance to play against Tottenham in a round of 16 and doesn't go to the limit is out of place."
Nagelsmann insists Spurs will still pose a threat despite their injury problems.
"It is still a good team with a lot of good players," he added.
"They counter well and have a clear game plan. It is important that we do it the same way as in the first leg in London.
"But we are not thinking about the last games, but the upcoming match."
