Speaking in his pre-Nottingham Forest press conference, Tottenham boss Igor Tudor has shared an update on when star playmaker James Maddison could finally return from injury.
Tottenham braced for crucial six-pointer against Forest
Sunday is not just another Premier League fixture.
When Forest arrive at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, it will be the most important 90 minutes of Tudor’s tenure so far — and possibly the most important of the entire season for both clubs.
Two sides separated by a single point, both staring at the Championship if things go wrong between now and May.
Win and Spurs pull four points clear of the drop zone. Lose and they could find themselves in the bottom three. It is as simple and as brutal as that.
Tudor goes into the game carrying more momentum than anyone could have predicted a fortnight ago.
The draw at Anfield ended a run of six straight defeats. The 3-2 win over Atlético Madrid on Wednesday — spirited, emotional, and ultimately not enough to overturn a 5-2 first-leg deficit — nonetheless delivered something invaluable: a winning feeling.
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The Serie A giants are after him.
Xavi Simons and Archie Gray were sublime, Mathys Tel caused Atlético problems all night, and the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium roared in a way it has not done for months.
The Champions League dream is over, but that performance gave Spurs major momentum in the fight for survival.
Tudor will also have Joao Palhinha back available after his concussion protocols, with the Portuguese expected to return to the squad this weekend.
Dominic Solanke, who missed the Atletico second leg with a hip problem, could also feature, with Tudor telling reporters this morning he is hopeful the striker will be available.
That is a significant boost.
Solanke’s physicality and link-up play give Tudor’s attack something different going forward.
But another piece of significant news from today’s press conference — delivered via Sky Sports reporter Michael Bridge — is far more intriguing for the longer term.
Igor Tudor shares James Maddison injury update out of Tottenham
Tudor indicated that Maddison may at long last return from injury before the end of the season.
The 29-year-old has not kicked a ball since August. Playing in a pre-season friendly against Newcastle in Seoul, Maddison ruptured the ACL in his right knee — a devastating blow for a player already managing his fitness carefully after a previous knee issue.
He went under the knife days later. Seven months on, the long-winded recovery has been progressing positively enough that Tudor and the medical staff are now allowing themselves a degree of cautious optimism.
Maddison was spotted doing individual training on the grass alongside Palhinha earlier this week — a small but significant sign that he is edging closer.
Whether he actually makes it back before the final whistle of the season remains to be seen.
ACL recoveries are notoriously unpredictable, and nobody at the club will be rushing him. With seven games remaining after Sunday, the window is narrow.
But even the possibility of Maddison returning — a player of genuine craft and creativity who can unlock defences with a single pass or a moment of inspiration — will lift spirits in a squad that has been battling through its worst period in decades.
First, though, Forest.
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The midfielder has lavished praise on him.