London: James Maddison, the star midfielder for Tottenham Hotspur, has shed light on the reasons behind the club's difficulties in the current Premier League season. He also discussed Tottenham's prospects of advancing in the UEFA Europa League, given their 1-0 deficit following the first leg against AZ Alkmaar.
Under head coach Ange Postecoglou, Tottenham's performance in the Premier League has not met expectations, as they currently sit in 13th place with 34 points from 28 matches.
This season has been plagued by injuries, particularly last December when the team faced a crisis with all four senior center-backs sidelined.
Maddison attributes a significant part of their struggles to these injuries. The 28-year-old acknowledges that while Tottenham could have performed better in certain matches, injuries have played a "defining" role in their season.
"It's a major factor, and I don't want to come across as making excuses, but when you lose key players like (Guglielmo) Vicario, (Cristian) Romero, (Micky) Van de Ven, (Destiny) Udogie, (Dominic) Solanke, and Richarlison for extended periods during the busiest time of the year, it truly impacts the team," Maddison told Sky Sports.
"Of course, we recognize that we could have improved in various areas and that our performances in some games could have been better. However, injuries have been a defining issue, and it has been a challenging year for the club in that regard. It's simply a fact," he added.
Given Tottenham's current standing, their chances of finishing in the top six seem slim. Their best opportunity to remain in European competition lies in a successful run in the UEFA Europa League.
Tottenham faces the challenge of overcoming a 1-0 deficit in the Round of 16 at their home ground to keep their hopes alive in the tournament. Maddison called on the supporters to rally behind the team as they strive to eliminate AZ Alkmaar from the competition.
"We understand the significance of this match for us, the fans, and everyone involved; we are all united in this effort. The first leg was clearly not up to our standards, and the difficult conditions on the pitch made it hard to execute our style of play. However, it's just a 1-0 scoreline, and they will be coming to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. If the fans can energize the atmosphere and create the kind of support we know they are capable of, it will make a difference," he stated.
