Spurs Boss Opens Up on Mousa Dembele Fitness Ahead of Key Champions League Clash

Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino has provided an update on the fitness of midfielder Mousa Dembele ahead of Tuesday's Champions League trip to APOEL Nicosia.

The Belgium international missed Saturday's 3-2 win at West Ham with a recurring foot problem, which hindered him throughout last season and required an operation in the summer.

And Pochettino has admitted that he is unsure whether Dembele will be available for the upcoming Champions League group game.

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“We'll see now,” he said, quoted by the Evening Standard. “We need to assess in the next few days. We don't know if it's possible for him to be available to go to Cyprus [to face APOEL Nicosia in the Champions League].

“And then we'll see about Huddersfield [on Saturday]. We need to check him every day. Maybe in the next few days, we'll take some decisions with the medical staff. I don't believe [he will need an operation]. I don't believe.

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“But I cannot say nothing because now it's in the medical staff's hands. Now we need to assess him in between tomorrow and Monday and we'll see.”

If Dembele is again considered too risky to play, a revitalised Moussa Sissoko will continue in his stead.

“Sissoko and Dembele have different characteristics,” Pochettino added. “Because Dele Alli is like a second striker, he is a striker, playing very well.

“We had Christian and Sissoko, who can go forward on the right side to stretch the opponents. I feel happy in the way we changed and played. I think Sissoko was fantastic [against West Ham].”