Spurs’ striker woes worsen as Solanke and Muani sidelined for Norway clash

LONDON, Sept 30 — Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank confirmed yesterday that striker Dominic Solanke will miss their Champions League clash against Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt.

The 28-year-old, who last featured for Spurs on August 23 against Manchester City, has undergone minor ankle surgery that rules him out of Tuesday’s match as well as the Premier League fixture against Leeds on Saturday.

“It’s a small procedure, so he won’t be available today or for Leeds,” Frank told reporters ahead of the game in the Arctic Circle. “We’ll know more about his recovery timeline after the international break, but I don’t expect it to be too long.”

Solanke’s absence further limits Spurs’ attacking options, with Randal Kolo Muani — on loan from Paris Saint-Germain — also ruled out after failing to train on Monday due to a dead leg.

Frank said medical staff were monitoring the issue but confirmed Muani would not feature, leaving Richarlison as the only fit striker for the rematch against the team Spurs defeated 5-1 on aggregate four months ago to reach the Europa League final.

Mathys Tel, who played in the 2-0 win in Norway, is unavailable as he is not registered for the Champions League squad.

Spurs will also be without captain Cristian Romero, who remained in England as a precaution after a bruising game against Wolves. However, Ben Davies has recovered from a minor knee injury and is available for selection.

Frank praised Bodo’s achievement of reaching the Europa League semi-finals last season and qualifying for the Champions League for the first time, but stressed that history would not affect Tuesday’s match.

“That was four months ago, before I was here. This is a new game and a new situation,” the Danish coach said.

Spurs opened their campaign with a 1-0 home win over Villarreal, while Bodo drew 2-2 away at Slavia Prague. — AFP