Tottenham v Brighton: Forward ruled out after training-ground incident
Tottenham take on Brighton and Hove Albion in their final game of the Premier League season, but one key player will be absent at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The clash with the Seagulls at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday (25 May) allows Spurs fans to celebrate the Europa League trophy with the players.
It will be an intriguing contest as Brighton would still have an outside chance of qualifying for the UEFA Conference League should they hold on to eighth place in the Premier League.
On the other hand, Ange Postecoglou will hope to end Spurs’ disappointing league season on a high and will be able to field a near-full-strength side with no European games to prioritise.
However, one player will miss out on the contest after being ruled out following a training-ground incident.
João Pedro omitted from Brighton squad
Tottenham’s trophy celebrations may claim a few casualties ahead of their tie against Brighton, which the seaside club will be looking to capitalise on.
However, Fabian Hurzeler confirmed in his pre-match press conference on Friday (23 May) that Brighton will travel to the capital without their main goal threat in João Pedro, who will be left out.
Hurzeler explained: “With Joao we had a small issue in training, a type which isn’t uncommon from time to time in all football clubs and we dealt with it internally and the matter is closed.”
He continued: “He’s a match-winner for us, he’s a great player – that’s why we invested in him, but there are principles, there are values from my side that are non-negotiable and counts for everyone … and I don’t make any compromises.”
| Competition | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
| Premier League | 27 | 10 | 6 |
| FA Cup | 3 | – | 1 |
The Brazilian striker already missed Brighton’s 3-2 home win against Liverpool (19 May) due to an altercation in training with fellow centre-back Jan Paul van Hecke.
While this is a blow for the travelling side, they will likely deploy Danny Welbeck in his place, who scored against Spurs when Brighton came from two goals down to win 3-2 in the reverse fixture in October.
Postecoglou will look to send a message
Postecoglou has been critical of his side’s league form, but has often blamed the Europa League and scars of previous injury crises as the primary reasons for succumbing to a record 21 defeats.
With Daniel Levy searching for solutions elsewhere, the former Celtic manager will be looking to set a marker down and prove he can still command the side in the Premier League.
The game itself is arguably the most meaningless encounter for Spurs in recent years, but it could be far more valuable for Postecoglou and his future if he can address doubts over his abilities against tougher opponents.