Bissouma Excluded for Disciplinary Reasons from Tottenham
Yves Bissouma has been dropped from the Tottenham squad for the UEFA Super Cup due to disciplinary reasons. This unexpected situation comes at a crucial moment, just as coach Thomas Frank prepares for his official debut with the team.
Frank will lead his first competitive match as Tottenham coach on Wednesday at the Stadio Friuli in Udine, with the possibility of lifting a trophy if they manage to beat Paris Saint-Germain, current Champions League champions.
Bissouma did not travel with the team due to “several late arrivals” during the summer, as confirmed by Frank.
“Bissouma did not travel with the team for disciplinary reasons. He has been late several times and the last time was one too many.”
Frank, Tottenham coach
The coach added that, although a lot of support needs to be given to the players, there must also be demands and consequences. “On this occasion, there was a consequence for that,” he explained.Yves Bissouma se perderá el partido de la Supercopa contra el PSG.Frank will count on Dominic Solanke for the match and will seek to start his time at Tottenham with a title, after the success of his predecessor, Ange Postecoglou, in the Europa League in May.
The coach highlighted the importance of the match: “I think for the team, for me, for everyone involved at Tottenham, it’s a massive game. A great challenge and an even greater opportunity. That’s how my brain works, I see opportunities instead of pressure. It’s a great opportunity and we will definitely take advantage of it.”
While PSG returned to pre-season training last week, Tottenham faces the match with important absences. James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski remain out due to long-term injuries, and Destiny Udogie is also out of action.
The absence of Bissouma is even more striking, and could mark the end of his time at the club, considering that the Mali international, who started in the Europa League final, is entering the last 12 months of his contract.
New signings João Palhinha and Mohammed Kudus are expected to make their debut against PSG, but Frank will rely heavily on the team that ended Tottenham’s title drought under Postecoglou.
Guglielmo Vicario, a key figure in the race for the Europa League, acknowledged how special it will be to play for a trophy in his hometown, Udine.
Tottenham will announce their new captain on Wednesday, following Son Heung-Min’s move to LAFC.
Ben Davies, the player with the most years of service at Tottenham after his arrival in 2015, added: “We lost Sonny and he was a big part of the locker room and, obviously, a huge player for us. We’re definitely going to feel his loss, but ultimately, the veteran players on this team have to be here to support everyone.”
