Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho has revealed Harry Kane elected to sit out of his side’s Europa League round of 32 fixture against Wolfsberger. The England talisman recently returned to the Spurs squad from an ankle injury and opted to remain in London to preserve fitness.
Spurs ran out 4-1 winners in a reshuffled encounter in Budapest, with goals from Son Heung-min, Gareth Bale, Lucas Moura and Carlos Vinicius putting the Premier League side in good stead ahead of the second leg.
Jose Mourinho Reveals Harry Kane Chose to Miss Wolfsberger Tie to Rest Following Injury
Kane Coming Back From Injury
Despite a quick return from the sidelines, Kane has clocked up a hefty chunk of minutes. The 27-year-old has already completed two league games either side of a substitute appearance against Everton in the FA Cup.
At times this season, Spurs have found themselves struggling without Kane’s attacking presence. But against Wolfsberger, Mourinho’s side brushed that notion aside with an assured performance that will likely see them advance into the round of 16.
Mourinho Hopeful Kane Will Make West Ham Clash
Kane’s decision to rest during the week comes at a pivotal time for Mourinho, who will be gearing his side up for a London derby against in-form West Ham United on Sunday.
When asked whether Kane would be ready to face The Hammers, Mourinho said, as reported by Alasdair Gold for Football.London: “I believe so, but experienced guy that had injuries in the past, he knows his body better than anyone. He knows that I want him to play every minute of every game, so it’s never a question of a choice.
“I wanted to come here with the best team and the players that could give us more opportunities to win the game and get a good result, but he made the decision based on his feelings.
“His feelings were that to play this game could be a risk with the accumulation of minutes and the accumulation of minutes after the injury that he had.
“Of course, myself and the medical department, we agreed with him in giving him this opportunity to take care of his condition, but I believe on Sunday he will be OK and ready.”
Kane himself will hope to declare himself available to add to his impressive tally against West Ham – recording 11 goals in 13 league appearances. Mourinho’s side will be aiming to record consecutive league victories for the first time since November.
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