Son Heung-min (29, Tottenham), who ran without a break, eventually collapsed due to injuries. Not only his team Tottenham, but also the Korean men’s soccer team took an emergency.
Son Heung-min started an away game in the 28th round of the 2020-2021 English Professional Football Premier League (EPL) against Arsenal held at the Emirates Stadium in London on the 15th (Korean time), but was replaced by Eric Lamela in the 19th minute due to a left hamstring injury.
After sprinting for 17 minutes in the first half, Son Heung-min sat down holding the back of his left thigh, complaining of pain and couldn’t run anymore.
Tottenham, who lost Son Heung-min, was defeated 1-2 by Arsenal’s’North London rival’.
Tottenham coach Jose Mourinho said at a press conference after the game, “Soccer is like this. You don’t know how long it will take to recover. It’s a muscle problem, but muscle injuries aren’t always easy.” Still, he said, “Son Heung-min is a player who recovers quickly from any injuries.”
It is pointed out that Son Heung-min’s sudden injuries are due to overwork.
According to British Football London, Son Heung-min played 2,343 minutes in all 27 EPL games before the’North London Derby’.
Pierre-Emil Hoivier (2,430 minutes) was the only one who played more time in the team than Son Heung-min.
Adding the time he played before the day’s replacement, Son Heung-min played 2,361 minutes in the regular league only this season. The European Football Federation (UEFA) Europa League, the England Football Association (FA) Cup, and the Carabao Cup (League Cup) were added, and it took 3,140 minutes in 41 games.
This month alone, Son Heung-min, who played full-time against Fulham on the 5th and Crystal Palace on the 8th, and played 64 minutes in the first leg of the UEFA Europa League round of 16 against Dynamo Zagreb (Croatia) on the 12th, finally collapsed.
British Sky Sports commentator Alan Smith, who watched Son Heung-min’s injury, said, “I seem to feel pain in the hamstring. That’s a bad sign. Son Heung-min ran too much.”
“The result of the accumulated game,” said Moourinho. “I gave him a 30-minute break in the Europa League, but it is true that he still played 60 minutes. When there are many games, some players may play more than others.”
In the position of Tottenham, who is aiming to enter the league’s’Top 4’to compete in the UEFA Champions League next season, the breakaway of the injury of the core member Son Heung-min is painful.
Son Heung-min, who suffered a hamstring injury at the end of September last year, returned after a week at the time, but the degree of this injury is still difficult to estimate.
If it takes a long time to recover, the Korea and Japan football team’s friendly matches, which will be held on the 25th of this month, may be missed.
In the aftermath of the novel coronavirus infection (Corona 19), it was unclear whether Son Heung-min will be convened for the Korean national team led by Paulo Bento, but Son Heung-min’s injury is expected to act as a negative factor for the Bento in the long term.
yunhap news