BREAKING: Tottenham suffers huge blow, James Maddison out for entire season
1. What happened?
Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou has confirmed that James Maddison will be out for the rest of the 2024-25 season after suffering a serious knee injury during the first leg of the Europa League semi-final against Bodo/Glimt.
Madison scored in that match but missed the rest of the second half after suffering a knee injury midway through the second half. After the match, scans revealed the injury was so severe that his match was over.
2. Club impact
This is a huge blow for Spurs,
as Maddison has contributed 12 goals and 11 assists in 45 games this season and played a key creative role in both the Premier League and Europa League.
His absence comes at a crucial time, as Tottenham are currently struggling in 16th place in the Premier League and rely heavily on their European campaign to win silverware.
3. Europa League final doubtful
Tottenham will go into the semi-final second leg against Bodo/Glimt without Maddison,
and possibly without captain Son Heung-min as well, leaving their squad significantly weakened ahead of a potential final in Bilbao.
“Analysts warn that losing such a creative force could seriously derail Tottenham’s chances of finally ending their 17-year trophy drought.”
4. Injury History and Rehabilitation
According to injury monitoring services, Maddison suffered two separate injuries in the 2024-25 campaign:
a 17-day calf injury in January and then a 52-day knee injury later this season in early May,
missing a total of 69 days out and six matches.
“He also suffered a similar knee problem in the 2025 pre-season,
when medical staff carried him off on a stretcher as he cried during a friendly. This recurring issue is something Tottenham’s medical team must carefully manage moving forward.”
5. Tactical Adjustments and Substitutions
With Maddison unavailable, Postecoglou and new manager Thomas Frank will have to shuffle forward options. Possible options could be Yves Bissouma or Dejan Kulusevski, both of whom are listed as potential tactical options.
However, experts warn that replicating Maddison’s creativity—his incisive passing and goalscoring ability—will be a major challenge.
6. Manager’s reaction
Ange Postecoglou described the news of the injury as “disappointing” and emphasised Maddison’s importance as Spurs’ creative engine, especially in their European campaign.
Post-match comments included:
“It doesn’t look promising” after initial scans indicated a more serious diagnosis than previously thought.
Thomas Frank later described Maddison being carried off on a stretcher as a “cruel moment”, and acknowledged the emotion of a player returning from injury and being out of the field again.
7. Wider implications for Tottenham
Spurs face uncertainty over midfield creativity ahead of key fixtures.
Heung-Min Son’s foot injury has further deepened his squad’s woes.
Other players missing include Lucas Bergvall and Dejan Kulusevski, further compounding the squad’s depth problem.
8. Recovery timeline
“Based on recent medical assessments, Maddison’s recovery from his knee injury could take several months. As a result, this could significantly affect the start of next season.”
Experts expect a cautious follow-up plan to be put in place to avoid a premature return ahead of the Champions League qualifiers and early league fixtures.
9. What the stats say
Metric 2024-25 season
Goals 12
Assists 11
Total appearances 45
Missed days 69
Missed matches 6
Despite Spurs’ poor showing in the league, Maddison was one of their best players. His departure has taken away a vital offensive spark at a time when pace matters most.
10. Final Thoughts
James Maddison’s departure is a huge blow to Tottenham’s ambitions. His creativity, goalscoring ability and match influence cannot be replicated overnight.
As Spurs approach the Europa League semi-finals/possibly finals and try to stave off relegation fears, Maddison’s absence highlights the urgent need for strength and tactical flexibility next season.
