Due to a combination of injuries and poor form, Tottenham Hotspur have plunged deeper into a relegation crisis this season.
They remain the only winless side in the Premier League this season and haven’t won a game in the competition in their last 11 attempts, making it their worst run in over 32 years.
In recent weeks, West Ham United and Nottingham Forest have shown signs of life, meaning the gap between themselves and the relegation zone is just one point.
Despite their domestic suffering, Tottenham finished fourth in the UEFA Champions League group phase to make it through to the Round of 16, where they will face Atletico Madrid in the first leg tomorrow.
And now, Pedro Porro has gone on a passionate rant in an attempt to rally his Tottenham teammates ahead of what could be a crucial period for them.
Porro says Tottenham’s injured XI better than current XI
The likes of James Maddison, Destiny Udogie, Dejan Kulusevski, Mohammed Kudus, Rodrigo Bentancur, Lucas Bergvall and Wilson Odobert are long-term absentees for Tottenham, among others.
They currently have just over 13-14 senior fit players in the squad, making it even harder to navigate two competitions.
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Porro returned to injury for Tottenham in their 3-1 defeat to Crystal Palace and was seen fuming after he was substituted, which is a sign that he’s clearly hurt by the state of the club currently.
And now, in an interview with Radio Marca ahead of the game against Atleti, the defender feels Tottenham’s injured XI might actually be better than the team they can put together now.
“We could field a starting eleven of injured players that might even be stronger than the eleven that’s currently playing. And it’s not out of disrespect to anyone, but that’s basically the reality,” Porro explained.
“We have to think and maintain a positive mindset. I’ve told my teammates that it’s difficult to compete like this, but we always have to give 100%, even though things aren’t going well in the Premier League, just like last year.
“We’re going to approach the tie with the same ambition we’ve shown so far in the Champions League.”
Confirming Porro’s hypothesis
To put it simply, Kudus, Kulusevski, Maddison, Bergvall, Bentancur and Udogie are six players who would walk into Tottenham’s XI currently, which is more than half their team.
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Porro is absolutely spot on with his assessment, as things simply haven’t gone as planned for Tottenham. Granted, they should still be getting better results with the players they have at their disposal.
However, not too many teams in the past have had such torrid luck with injuries.
Nevertheless, time is running out for Igor Tudor to stamp his authority at the club as teams continue to breathe down Tottenham’s necks.
A win in the Champions League isn’t a priority, but beating a team like Atletico could give them the confidence boost they need to secure their Premier League status.
