Xavi Simons’ injury has now been confirmed by the club as a ruptured Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL), after the Tottenham Hotspur playmaker was forced off in the 1–0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday. According to the club’s statement: “Simons will undergo surgery in the coming weeks and, following that, will begin his rehabilitation with our medical team.”
The Dutchman becomes the latest member of the Spurs squad to suffer a long-term injury. Already in the midst of a relegation battle, and with just four matches remaining, this injury is a heavy blow to their survival chances.
Here is how Xavi Simons’ injury will affect the outcome of Tottenham’s relegation battle.
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Tottenham Learn Full Extent of Xavi Simons Injury
Spurs Lose Their Best Chance of Survival
In a disastrous campaign for Tottenham, Simons has become a bright spark. While the midfielder has lacked consistency, he has demonstrated a level of creativity the team have lacked. His five Premier League assists place him joint with Mohamed Kudus as Spurs’ leading creator. He also leads the team with seven big chances created. His form appeared to elevate under Roberto De Zerbi, with the Italian trusting him to orchestrate the attack, as seen in his standout performance against Brighton.
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There has been little time afforded to him since joining from RB Leipzig. With Tottenham’s usual creative forces James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski yet to play this season, and Kudus out since January, Simons has been thrust into a larger role than was initially expected. With that trio yet to return, that role has become increasingly crucial as the Premier League season reaches its climax. He stepped up to fill a void left by injuries, but his absence has now created an even more glaring vacuum.
Another ACL Injury
While ACL injuries may be rising league-wide in recent years, Tottenham Hotspur appear to have suffered the most. Since January 2025, Radu Dragusin, Maddison and Wilson Odobert have suffered the same fate as Simons. Questions have been placed on the medical team, and that scrutiny intensified after the Dutchman initially attempted to continue before being withdrawn. Tottenham’s ongoing injury crisis has also seen Kulusevski ruled out for almost a year with scarce information on his status. Meanwhile, Kudus had a setback in his recovery after he was rushed back this month.
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The retractable pitch at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has raised questions about whether it offers sufficient support. While it could be a coincidence, Real Madrid installed a similar pitch at the Bernabeu and their training ground in 2023 and have had seven cruciate ligament ruptures since. These explanations remain purely speculation, but what is certain is that Spurs have endured an injury crisis for three straight seasons. Given that run of misfortune, it is no surprise that results have dipped.
Can Tottenham Survive After Xavi Simons’ Injury?
Following the injury, Simons said: “All I’ve wanted to do is fight for my team and now the ability to do that has been snatched away from me.” His determination shone in recent weeks, and will be sorely missed. Tottenham remain in 18th and, without their £50 million star, face a real challenge to make up ground on the clubs above.
Spurs’ victory against Wolves, their first of 2026, came via a set-piece. Without natural playmakers, De Zerbi will be relying on scrappy goals and solid defensive displays. With Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero and Joao Palhinha currently the club’s joint-second top scorers, Tottenham’s prowess at set-pieces has been evident. They will need that trend to continue. Unfortunately, Simons will miss this summer’s World Cup, and if Spurs cannot find a way to score in his absence, he could return to a club playing in the Championship.
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