Guglielmo Vicario has undergone surgery to fix an ankle fracture sustained during Tottenham's 4-0 Premier League victory over Manchester City on Saturday. This news has shaken the club, coming so soon after a morale-boosting win, and it will leave them without one of their key players and leaders during a crucial period of the season.
Spurs have not specified a return date for the goalkeeper, suggesting he could be out for an extended period. Manager Ange Postecoglou is likely to rely on the 36-year-old backup Fraser Forster, who has started three times this season—once in the Carabao Cup and twice in the Europa League. Tottenham faces Roma in the European competition on Thursday night, followed by a demanding schedule in December, including a Carabao Cup quarter-final at home against Manchester United.
Vicario was injured in a collision with City winger Savinho just before halftime but continued to play the full 90 minutes, contributing to what is arguably Postecoglou's most impressive win to date. He was seen limping through the post-match mixed zone, and subsequent scans revealed the extent of the damage. Vicario shared on Instagram: "I played 60 minutes at the Etihad with a broken bone in my ankle, giving everything I had for the team. Unfortunately, there was no way around this one. I needed surgery."
He added: "I'm disappointed I won't be able to help the team for a while. A massive thank you to the doctors and the staff. The operation went well, and from tomorrow I'll be working hard to come back stronger, fitter, and ready to give my all for you again. Thank you to the Spurs fans for all the love. See you soon on the pitch." Tottenham confirmed in a statement: "We can confirm that Guglielmo Vicario has today undergone surgery for a fracture of his right ankle. He will be assessed by our medical staff to determine when he can return to training."
Vicario played a crucial role against City, notably making key saves against Erling Haaland. Postecoglou was without his first-choice center-halves Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven at the Etihad Stadium, with the latter not expected back from a hamstring issue until mid-December. Romero's injury is not as severe. Other injured players include forwards Richarlison and Wilson Odobert, while attacking midfielder Mikey Moore is recovering from a virus. Midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur has served one game of a seven-match ban for making a racial slur against teammate Son Heung-min.
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