Tottenham team news: Mauricio Pochettino bemoans fixture pile-up as Spurs sweat on key injuries ahead of Barcelona

The Spurs head coach has confirmed that Dele Alli will miss Wednesday’s Champions League match and there are worries over Jan Vertonghen and Mousa Dembele

Mauricio Pochettino fears that Tottenham’s international players could become burned out because of unrealistic demands placed on them by the fixture calendar.

The Spurs head coach has confirmed that Dele Alli will miss Wednesday’s Champions League match against Barcelona at Wembley after aggravating a hamstring injury suffered playing for England.

Belgium internationals Jan Vertonghen and Mousa Dembele are also significant doubts after being taken off at half-time with muscle injuries during Tottenham’s 2-0 Premier League win at Huddersfied.

All three players were involved at the World Cup until mid-July, with Belgium beating England in the third-place play-off, and Pochettino believes they may have suffered from not having enough of a break before their Premier League season started on August 11.

Pochettino suggested that the introduction of the Uefa Nations League – the competition in which Alli suffered his original hamstring injury, against Spain on September 8 – has clogged up the calendar.

He said: “The players finish the World Cup and they need to rest a few weeks. Then they start the Premier League, and then there are the first international games. They play two games but they are not friendlies; instead, they play in the Nations League, and all the teams want the best players to play. Who cares about the player? It’s so difficult.

“With the circumstances of the season, it’s a massive challenge for everyone. It’s not only us; there are a lot of teams that have the same problem.

“The players are not machines. You want to push and push and push them, and it’s not easy. And no one helps, but we are warned before every single game to play the same players.”

Asked how long Alli would be out for, Pochettino said: “I don’t know. He reinjured the same muscle as with England against Spain, and that is the problem. It’s important to be relaxed and calm.”

Alli’s Tottenham team-mate Harry Kane has managed to steer clear of injury despite his busy World Cup summer, but has still struggled for form amid suggestions of post-tournament weariness.

Vertonghen was forced off at half-time (AFP/Getty Images) (AFP)

However, he showed signs that his confidence and form are returning by scoring both goals at the John Smith’s Stadium, the first a header from Kieran Trippier’s cross, the second a penalty after Florent Hadergjonaj was harshly ruled to have tugged Danny Rose back by the shirt.

Pochettino said: “I am so pleased because the team was ready to fight. The ball was more in the air today than the grass, it was a massive fight. I’m sure it will be a completely different game on Wednesday [against Barcelona].”

Huddersfield are bottom of the Premier League, having managed only one league goal at home since February 11, but head coach David Wagner is confident that they are playing well enough to move up the table.

He said: “If you perform consistently as we’ve done and create opportunities, the reward will come. We have to focus on this and nothing else.”