TOTTENHAM have trained for their Champions League clash with Juventus without Toby Alderweireld.
And boss Mauricio Pochettino has revealed that Spurs are carefully managing the defender’s return to the starting XI in order to protect his career.
Alderweireld, 28, has played just once after declaring himself “fit and ready” three weeks ago following a serious hamstring injury.
The centre-back managed 90 minutes in last week’s FA Cup clash against Newport.
But Alderweireld has been left out of the matchday squad for Spurs’ trip to Turin.
Fans are sure to be confused by the situation, but Pochettino insists Alderweireld needs to be bought back into the fold with ease in
order to prevent any further setbacks.
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The Argentine tactician said: “From day one our idea is to create a plan to help him, because that’s the most important thing.
“He is 28 and it was a massive injury that we need to care about, because we could not put at risk his career.
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“We designed a plan to try to provide him with the best tools to recover as soon as possible and be stronger than before.
“In that period that he started to work with the team, under our judgement, he needs to build his fitness slowly. He needs to work hard. To play this type of game, you need to be 200 per cent.
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“It’s not the same as training to compete, and that’s why we are caring about him with our plans, to try for him in to be at a high level of condition again, and can be competing for once place in the starting XI.
“That’s always what we try to do with different players. Of course we are sorry for him because when you miss games like Arsenal, and we work a lot to play this type of game.
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“I can understand (he’s frustrated). We are frustrated too because, when you can’t play, it’s difficult to accept. In his career it’s an important game but we to be careful in the way we are going to use him.
“We were lucky to have the replay against Newport for him to feel the competition. It’s all going well. He will be part of the team to face Rochdale next Sunday and then we are going to assess him day-by-day.”
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