Ah, if it weren't for the injuries.

The British 'The Sun' reported on the 1st (Korea time) that "Daniel Levy, chairman of Tottenham, strongly defended coach Ange Postecoglou. He claimed he couldn't understand the criticism directed at them, stating that they are a club that consistently spends money on player acquisitions."

With Postecoglou unlikely to stay at Tottenham, he is effectively left with one last chance: to win the UEFA Europa League. However, the situation is not favorable.

Football statistics provider Opta analysts forecast a low probability for Tottenham to win the UEFA Europa League. After Tottenham reached the quarterfinals against AZ Alkmaar on March 14, Opta adjusted Tottenham's winning probability to 18.4%.

Tottenham's chances of reaching the semifinals are assessed at 63%, while their chances of reaching the final are at 35.2%. At the beginning of the season, Opta anticipated Tottenham's probability of winning at 15.1%, giving the team the highest rating, but despite the current increase to 18.4%, they have dropped to third place.

Football content platform Score 90 released the UEFA Europa League winning probabilities based on betting company's dividends on the 17th. While Tottenham was initially considered to have the highest chance of winning the tournament, they have since fallen to tied third among the remaining eight teams.

The team with the highest probability is Athletic Bilbao from Spain's La Liga, recording a 20% chance. Despite losing 1-2 in the first leg against AS Roma in the Round of 16 of Serie A, Athletic secured a comeback victory with a 3-1 win in the second leg, advancing on aggregate. Currently, they are also performing well in La Liga, ranking fourth, which likely contributes to their high probability.

Manchester United, also in the same league as Tottenham, recorded 19%, placing second. Score 90 predicts Tottenham's Europa League winning probability at 17%, tying for third with Lazio in Serie A. Tottenham's Europa League journey is a major concern for Korean football fans, particularly to see Son Heung-min lift a major trophy.

For Son Heung-min, this Europa League season is not merely a challenge, but a significant turning point in his career. Despite having no trophies for 17 years, winning this Europa League would not only end that long wait but could also be his final attempt at a title.

Winning is also crucial to overcome the recent negative comments. Tottenham Hotspur News reported on the 20th that "Martin Allen, who was in charge at Brentford, claimed in an exclusive interview with our publication that Son Heung-min could transfer to a promoted team from the championship (second division)."

Since joining Tottenham in 2015, he has been a key player for the team. However, this season, Tottenham has fallen to 14th in the league, experiencing their worst slump. They also exited early from the FA Cup and Carabao Cup, failing to meet fans' expectations.

Amid this slump, there are local doubts about Son Heung-min's leadership and evaluations that his performance has declined. Additionally, there are somewhat extreme claims suggesting that if coach Ange Postecoglou is dismissed, Son Heung-min too bears some responsibility.

Some local fans have even criticized Son Heung-min. Levy emphasized that "since opening the new stadium in April 2019, we have invested more than 700 million pounds net on player acquisitions. It is important for us to maintain financial balance," while also stating that "regardless of wealth, balanced spending is necessary."

Meanwhile, in this situation, coach Postecoglou has stepped up once again to defend himself. He remarked, "It is true that this season has been disappointing. I am disappointed that we showed a glimmer of hope but faced a significant setback. Our performance in the league has been very disappointing."

Coach Postecoglou expressed strong discontent, stating, "We made mistakes early in the season. The schedule became tougher, and the players' bodies couldn't keep up. While we did our best, it was too much to take on two Europa League matches and cup competitions."

He further stressed, "As we went through tough times, the team has become united. It cannot get any worse than this. We will overcome the slump and come together. We will give hope to the fans. We still have goals left. We will finish the season on a positive note."

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