Tottenham Hotspur’s defensive crisis has taken another hit with the news that goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario has undergone surgery for a fractured ankle. The Italian shot-stopper, who played through the injury during Spurs’ impressive 4-0 victory at Manchester City, is now sidelined for an undetermined period.
This latest setback compounds Ange Postecoglou’s defensive headaches, as the team is already without first-choice center-backs Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven. In their absence, Radu Dragusin and Ben Davies are expected to continue their partnership at the heart of defense, following their commendable performance against City.
In the Europa League, Tottenham’s squad depth will be further tested. Young prospects Will Lankshear and Mikey Moore, who have previously featured in European fixtures, are unavailable for selection. Lankshear is serving a suspension after receiving a red card against Galatasaray, while Moore is sidelined due to illness.
One positive for Postecoglou is the availability of Rodrigo Bentancur for European matches. The midfielder, currently serving a seven-game domestic ban, is likely to start to maintain his match fitness.
Meanwhile, Tottenham’s upcoming opponents have also seen recent changes. Under new management, there’s been a shift in tactical approach, moving from a 3-4-3 formation to a more traditional 4-4-2 system. This change in strategy, implemented with minimal alterations to the starting lineup, saw Lorenzo Pellegrini return from injury in their recent fixture.
Tottenham Hotspur (4-3-3): Forster; Spence, Dragusin, Davies, Gray; Sarr, Bentancur, Bergvall; Johnson, Solanke, Werner
Roma (4-4-2): Svilar; Celik, Mancini, Hummels, Angelino; Soule, Baldanzi, Cristante, Zalewski; Dybala, Dovbyk
