AL-AIN • While the arrival of Son Heung-min has installed South Korea as favourites for the Asian Cup, coach Paulo Bento may be forced to wrap their star in cotton wool as "he has played a lot of games during the last months".
The Tottenham forward arrived in the United Arab Emirates yesterday to join the Taeguk Warriors for the rest of the tournament after an arrangement was struck with the Premier League side for him to be excused for their first two games.
A video posted on the Instagram page of the Asian Football Confederation showed Son signing autographs upon arriving from London.
With South Korea having already reached the last 16, fans may not get a chance to see the 26-year-old in tomorrow's Group C dead rubber against China as the team need to take stock of his fitness levels.
Son, who has eight goals and seven assists in Spurs' last 12 league games, has played nearly 1,000 minutes in 16 games for his club this season, on top of his appearances at last year's World Cup and their title-winning Asian Games run.
Bento told reporters: "Of course, a player with the quality that Son has... can help the team. But we need to wait until the game against China or the knockout phase.
"We will talk and then we are going to take the best decisions for the team."
Despite South Korea labouring to successive 1-0 group-stage wins and failing to turn their domination into goals, the Portuguese hinted he would resist throwing Son into the fray, insisting that South Korea were "not going to change our way of playing".
He said: "What we are going to do is improve our collective game, try to attack better than we have played until now."
While Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino has lamented the absence of Son, who could miss up to five games if his country reaches the Cup final on Feb 1, the player is also "very sorry" for being away at a crucial point of their season.
He added: "I miss already in September (due to the Jakarta Games). I feel sorry for my teammates, the fans and the coaching staff. It's difficult. Sometimes, it's a bit sad but it is also important for my country.
"I hope I can keep my form for the national team and when I come back here again as well."
However, South Koreans are hoping he will instead take out his frustrations on their opponents, with Son expected to fire Bento's men to glory and end their Asian Cup hurt. They have finished runners-up four times, the latest at the previous edition in Australia.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, DPA, REUTERS
ASIAN CUP
South Korea v China: Singtel TV Ch116 & StarHub Ch210, tomorrow, 9.20pm
Ikhsan Fandi starts 'adulting' in Norway, Football News & Top
Liverpool's Dutch defender Virgil van Dijk takes part in a press conference at the training ground in Liverpool on the eve of a UEFA Champions league quarter-final football match against Porto on
'Cannot Stop Messi Alone,' Admits Van Dijk - thequint.com
Jun 06, 2019 · Ghost Ship trial: A weary dad sits in court every day, missing his daughter deserves blame. So too, Serra said, does the city for failing to do something about the conditions in the warehouse
Croatia Digs Deeper, Burying England's World Cup Dreams - The
Everton ride luck for 2-0 victory at home to Bournemouth. There were grumblings of discontent from the home fans as Everton were outplayed before the break but Marco Silva's side improved in the
Everton ride luck for 2-0 home victory over Bournemouth - The
Japan cashed in on a defensive mix-up and a controversial penalty as they stunned favourites Iran 3-0 in the Asian Cup semi-finals to move one win away from their fifth title on Monday.'Emotional breakdown' as Japan stun imploding Iran at Asian
'Emotional breakdown' as Japan stun imploding Iran at Asian
Football: Belgium top Fifa rankings again but England on the
Football: Chelsea's Olivier Giroud seeks France return to boost game time Olivier Giroud has not started a Premier League game for Chelsea since the club signed Argentina international striker
Chelsea's Olivier Giroud seeks France return to boost game
Antoine Griezmann struck again as Atletico Madrid kept the pressure on Barcelona at the top of La Liga by beating in-form Getafe 2-0 on Saturday. Griezmann now has eight goals in as many games, his latest helping Atletico register their sixth win in seven league matches. The only dropped points came in a respectable draw away to Sevilla.
Inter Milan have been given a two-match stadium ban following the racist abuse Napoli's Kalidou Koulibaly received on Wednesday from fans at the San Siro. On Thursday, the FIGC―Italy's football
Jaguars ban four fans who threw objects in Seahawks game
Ali's 'golden touch' floors Japan as Qatar lifts Asian Cup. Record-breaker Almoez Ali slots in a brilliant early goal as Qatar deals Japan its first loss in an Asian Cup final
Aussie horror show as Jordan stun Asian Cup champs | Free
Occipital neuralgia is a condition in which the nerves that run from the top of the spinal cord up through the scalp, called the occipital nerves, are inflamed or injured. You might feel pain in
What are the tear marks on a cheetahs eyes for - answers.com
Now, I have landed a potential starting two guard, I have my three of the future set in Miles Bridges, I have an intriguing four man in Isaac, and I have Cody Zeller at the five. Even without Walker, this is a team that can start gelling and learning from each other right away.
How To Replace the F-35: Meet the 'Advanced' Super Hornet for
FORMER Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho has given Tottenham the blueprint on how to beat Ajax. The North London side face the Dutch outfit in the semi-finals of the Champions League after
Mourinho gives Spurs blueprint to beat Ajax after
0 Kommentare:
Kommentar veröffentlichen