Spurs star left in tears after being substituted in first half vs Bournemouth
Pape Matar Sarr was left in tears after limping out of Tottenham's 3-1 home win against Bournemouth on New Year's Eve.
The Senegal international's hamstring injury casts doubt over his participation in the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations in the Ivory Coast, which starts in just 13 days' time. He was visibly distressed as he made his way off the pitch, using his shirt to hide his tears.
Sarr's afternoon started brilliantly, as he opened the scoring in the ninth minute. Yet the 21-year-old midfielder failed to finish the first half due to his injury. Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou and captain Son Heung-min were among those comfort Sarr.
Spurs went on to win Sunday's game thanks to goals from Son and Richarlison after the break, with Alex Scott scoring a late consolation for Bournemouth. The result leaves them fifth in the table, just one point behind bitter rivals Arsenal in fourth. The Gunners suffered a surprise 2-1 defeat at Fulham at the same time as Tottenham's win.
Sarr is the latest Tottenham star to suffer an injury, joining the likes of Ivan Perisic (knee), Cristian Romero (hamstring), Micky van de Ven (hamstring) and James Maddison (ankle) in the treatment room. Postecoglou has confirmed Sarr has pulled his hamstring.
Chelsea complete record-breaking Enzo Fernandez transfer after deadline day rush
Postecoglou said: "It has been a constant for us. I'm disappointed for Pape, I'm not fully sure about the extent yet. It's a hamstring, he's gutted. We'll have to let others step up."
Sarr is part of Senegal's squad for the Africa Cup of Nations. Senegal's first game is against Gambia in Yamoussoukro on January 15, with group-stage fixtures against Cameroon and Guinea to follow. The final will take place in Abidjan on February 11.
Senegal won the previous Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon two years ago to claim their maiden continental title. Sarr was part of his country's squad for that tournament but only featured once in the 3-1 win against Burkina Faso in the semi-final.
It's unclear how long Sarr will be out for (Getty Images)How much do you think Tottenham will miss Pape Matar Sarr? Let us know in the comments below!
If fit, the Tottenham star is expected to play a big role in Senegal's campaign following his stellar performances in the Premier League. Sarr has become a key player since Postecoglou's arrival from Celtic in June, featuring in all but two games this season.
Sarr joined Spurs from Metz in August 2021 but immediately returned to the French club on a season-long loan. He was part of their squad last term but started just one Premier League game - the 2-0 home loss to Arsenal - to leave fans concerned.
Yet Sarr is now flourishing in Tottenham's midfield. "He's been great from the moment I arrived," insisted Postecoglou while speaking about Sarr in August.
"He's got a great energy about him, but he's got quality there too. He's one of those midfielders who causes the opposition real problems because whether it's him running with the ball or without the ball, he runs forward, he runs aggressively and he disrupts the opposition. He's just got a great temperament for a young guy."
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
