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Rodrigo Bentancur has joined Tottenham’s growing list of absentees after the midfielder hobbled off of the pitch against Aston Villa on Sunday. The playmaker went down after a poorly-timed challenge by Matty Cash and was unable to continue.
Ange Postecoglou was forced to field a rejigged side against Villa, with no centre-backs or holding midfielders in his starting XI due to numerous injuries and several players being ruled out through suspension.
The unconventional pairing of Bentancur and Giovani Lo Celso were tasked with playing as the ex-Celtic boss’ double-pivot at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, though the duo only spent 32 minutes on the pitch together before disaster struck.
After a lengthy delay that saw Ollie Watkins’ equalising goal ruled out by VAR, tempers boiled over within the Villa camp and Cash jumped into a crunching tackle on Bentancur deep inside the Spurs half.
The Uruguay international was quickly treated by the Spurs medical team but decided that he would continue before dropping to the floor just minutes later and calling for a substitute. Bentancur was then helped off of the pitch by Tottenham staff, with several of his teammates consoling him as he trudged straight down the tunnel.
Several stars also took issue with Cash after it became clear that Bentancur would not be able to play on, potentially enraged further given that the playmaker was making his first start in nine months following his serious ACL injury sustained against Leicester in February.
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