Tottenham boss Thomas Frank has confirmed that Dominic Solanke will miss the Champions League fixture vs Villarreal
Tottenham Hotspur will be looking to build on their impressive start to the new season when they take on Villarreal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in their Champions League opener on Tuesday night.
Spurs beat West Ham United 3-0 at the London Stadium at the weekend to make it three wins from opening four Premier League games. It was a comprehensive win that took them to third in the Premier League table, giving Thomas Frank and Co. much-needed boost in confidence ahead of commencing their Champions League adventure.
Fans will expect the Lilywhites to make inroads in the Champions League, with Marcelino’s Villarreal their first opponent in the competition.
Dominic Solanke ruled out vs Villarreal
Tottenham will head into this fixture with a handful of injury concerns, as several familiar names remain unavailable. Thomas Frank has now given some significant team news involving Dominic Solanke.
Dominic Solanke has been out with an ankle injury since coming off the bench in the 2-0 win over Manchester City last month. This was the same ankle issue that kept the striker out for the majority of the pre-season, and he has now missed league fixtures against Bournemouth and West Ham.
Speaking in his pre-match presser, Frank confirmed that Dominic Solanke will not feature against Villarreal.
“For Dom, he’s taking steps in the right direction, so that’s positive. As you saw that he’s not ready to be involved tomorrow,” Frank was quoted by Football London.
It was reported during the international break that Solanke’s ankle could require surgery, but those claims were dismissed by Frank before the West Ham game.
Chance for Randal Kolo Muani to make a mark?
In Solanke’s injury absence and Mathys Tel not being omitted from the 22-man Champions League squad, Frank is likely to start Richarlison up top vs Villarreal. Richarlison came off the bench in the second half of the 3-0 win over West Ham on Saturday, so he will be relatively fresher to lead Tottenham’s attack on Tuesday night.
Fans will also get the first glimpse of summer transfer window’s deadline day signing Randal Kolo Muani, after Frank confirmed the on-loan forward will feature against the Spanish side. The expectation is to see Kolo Muani get some minutes off the bench as he builds his match fitness ahead of a gruelling fixture schedule. The France international will definitely get a chance to make a mark on the game, as Spurs eye winning start in the elite European competition.
