Spurs left hanging by Son's injury: Mourinho

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Jose Mourinho has compared Tottenham's hopes of having a positive end to the season to hanging from the balcony of a fourth-floor building after losing Son Heung-min to injury.

Already without Harry Kane for much of the remainder of the campaign, Mourinho said he does not expect Son to feature again this season after the South Korean fractured his right arm in Sunday's 3-2 win at Aston Villa.

Spurs host German side RB Leipzig in the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie on Wednesday before facing Chelsea in a match that could prove pivotal in the dog-fight to qualify for the Champions League next season.

When Mourinho arrived at Tottenham in November, Spurs were 12 points adrift of his old club in 14th, but can move above Chelsea into fourth with victory at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

"When we arrived we were in minus 12 floor, we got on the stairs and we started climbing. But immediately the stairs broke," said Mourinho with a characteristic colourful analogy on Tuesday.

"We were trying to find a way. Lots of effort but we were going and going.

"When we arrived on the fourth floor, where we wanted to arrive, someone took the stairs away so we are now in trouble. We are holding by our arms on the balcony."

Mourinho said Tottenham are at a crossroads in their season with the FA Cup also to fight for on top of a top-four finish in the league and Champions League honours.

"Now we have two options," he added. "To fall and die because it's the fourth floor.

"The other is to climb. We will be on that balcony fighting with everything we have."

Son's absence comes as a cruel blow as he had been in a rich vein of form, scoring in the last five matches after filling in for Kane up front.

The 27-year-old suffered the injury in a robust first-minute challenge from Villa's Ezri Konsa, but still went onto score twice, including a 94th minute winner.

The club did not specify how long Son would be out -- he is due to undergo surgery later this week -- but Mourinho was pessimistic.

"I'm not going to count on him again this season," Mourinho said."

With both Kane and Son missing, Lucas Moura looks like having the burden placed on him as Mourinho discounted untested Irish youngster Troy Parrott and 19-year-old Ryan Sessegnon.

"In some periods I was worried about not having attacking options on the bench, now it's not having attacking options on the pitch," said Mourinho.

"My thoughts are that Troy Parrott is not ready and Ryan Sessegnon is not a striker."

Leipzig boss Julian Nagelsmann admitted Son's absence will aid the Germans' chances in their first ever Champions League knockout tie, but insisted it will not change his gameplan.

"It is a shame when a top player is missing from a game like this. It means there is one less great player," said Nagelsmann, who played down comparisons to Mourinho despite being labelled "baby Mourinho" early in his coaching career.

"We prepared for Tottenham in detail, it doesn't matter if Kane or Son don't play.

"For Tottenham it would be better if they play but it is better for us if they don't play."

Dortmund make Can deal permanent

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Germany international Emre Can's move from Juventus to Borussia Dortmund has been made permanent, both clubs confirmed on Tuesday.

The 26-year-old, who can play as a defender or a holding midfielder, joined the Bundesliga outfit on loan last month as cover for Denmark's injured Thomas Delaney until the end of the season and has now signed a four-year deal.

"Borussia Dortmund have agreed a permanent transfer with Juventus," the German club said in a statement, adding Can's loan spell officially ends at the end of June.

Juve said "the definitive acquisition of the registration rights of (Can)" had been made by the German club for 25 million euros ($27 million), to be paid over three years.

The 26-year-old has already played three games for Dortmund and marked his first start with a stunning long-range goal in their 4-3 defeat to Bayer Leverkusen ten days ago.

According to German daily newspaper Bild, Can's salary will drop from 14 million euros a year at Juventus to 8.5 million.

Can was Dortmund's second big signing of the winter break after they paid 20 million euros for teenage striker Erling Braut Haaland, who scored nine goals in his first six games.

Juve said they had made a 12.4 million euro profit from the transaction.

Can's move is said to be motivated by a desire for more game time back in Germany as he pushes for a place in Joachim Loew's national team at the Euro 2020 finals.

Gasperini calls for cool heads as Atalanta play biggest match in their history

Emilio Andreoli, getty

Gian Piero Gasperini urged his Atalanta side to keep their cool ahead of the biggest game in the club's history as they face Valencia in the Champions League last 16, first leg on Wednesday.

"The team must have clear heads," the 62-year-old said during his eve of match press conference at the San Siro.

"We have already played many important games, we will have to draw on our experience of those games here."

The Spanish club have been depleted for various reasons and are missing six players including injured Ezequiel Garay and suspended fellow central defender Gabriel Paulista, with midfielder Alessandro Florenzi down with chicken pox.

"It doesn't make me think it will be easier," said Gasperini.

"When a team plays in the Champions League they have an extensive squad and those who play give the maximum.

"Valencia represent an elite of Spanish football. They came first in a very difficult group winning against Ajax and Chelsea."

The match in Atalanta's first campaign in the top-tier of European football will be played at the 80,000-seater San Siro, home to Inter Milan and AC Milan, as Gasperini's side's own Gewiss Stadium 55km away does not meet UEFA requirements.

"This is our first great success, moving so many people, we have never played with such a big crowd," added Gasperini.

"But we mustn't get carried away by the euphoria of it."

The visitors' coach Albert Celades warned despite their injury woes his outfit were ready to defuse the free-scoring Italians, who are fourth in Serie A but lead the way with 63 goals in 24 games.

"Atalanta are a goal bomb. We will try to use our available weapons to defuse them," said Celades.

"We are facing a really attacking team, that has scored the most goals in Serie A. Their season is impressive, they are an uninhibited team that goes on the pitch to have fun.

"They love to go forward. Despite our absentees we will try to get by with the players we do have available."

Gutsy Atletico given hope after surprise win over Liverpool

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Liverpool were the victims of an old-fashioned Atletico Madrid masterclass on Tuesday as Diego Simeone's side ground out a 1-0 win in Madrid to give themselves hope of reaching the Champions League quarter-finals.

Saul Niguez raised the roof at a bouncing Wanda Metropolitano by scoring in the fourth minute before Atletico's defence kicked in, suffocating the European champions and denying them a single shot on target.

If Alvaro Morata had not slipped when given a good chance in the second half, Atleti might even have taken a two-goal lead to Anfield, where they can expect an onslaught next month.

Yet even if Liverpool are still favourites to overturn this deficit and go through, the roar from the Atleti fans at the final whistle, aimed at their fist-pumping players on the pitch, suggested Simeone's team now believe.

Few had tipped them to keep this tie even alive for the second leg, let alone progress, given their own stuttering form while Liverpool, unbeaten in the Premier League, are gunning for a treble.

Jurgen Klopp said on Monday Atletico were a "results machine" but the temptation was to see his words as platitudes, not an accurate reflection of a side that sits 13 points behind La Liga leaders Real Madrid and had already lost six times this season.

Yet Atletico under Simeone have also become synonymous with upsetting the odds, just as they did when winning the Spanish title in 2014 and then twice reaching the Champions League final.

For all their failings this season, they summoned that spirit here to produce the kind of performance full of tenacity, resilience and guts that was always going to be needed to give them any chance of success.

Simeone sprung a surprise by starting Thomas Lemar for the first time this year while Alvaro Morata and Diego Costa both returned from injury, the former from the start and the latter off the bench in the second half.

Liverpool, who began with their expected eleven, have blitzed numerous opponents with explosive starts but they were the ones rocking early on as Atletico snapped at their heels, pressed hard and relished being first to every loose ball.

They took the lead, aided by a hint of fortune as Liverpool failed to clear the corner and the ball cannoned back off the foot of Fabinho for Saul to stab in from three yards.

On the sideline, Simeone beckoned his players to stay calm but they were celebrating in the corner while in the stands, the fans were delirious and given hope.

Atletico were given a lead to defend and the rest of the half was largely a picture of Liverpool dominating the ball but failing to break down the 10 red and white shirts in front of them.

Their best chances fell to Mohamed Salah but he passed Jan Oblak's mishit clearance to the offside Firmino before sidefooting into an open net and then saw a deflected shot fly over.

Oblak's error came shortly after an equally unusual mistake from Virgil van Dijk, whose poor header might have proved costly, only for Morata to miss the chance from the angle.

Sadio Mane, on a yellow card, was replaced at half-time by Divock Origi while Lemar made way for the more conscientious Marcos Llorente.

Simeone could sense Liverpool's momentum and he responded by frantically flapping his arms to demand more support.

Salah drifted into space at the back post but headed wide and Atletico came through another spell of pressure unscathed. Morata should even have made it two but slipped when about to pull the tigger on Lodi's cut-back.

He was taken off with 20 minutes left, along with Salah, and Costa made his return shortly after to a wave of approval from the home support. The roar was even bigger when the final whistle blew.

Neymar criticises PSG injury handling after Dortmund defeat

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Neymar has criticised Paris Saint-Germain's handling of his recent injury after scoring in the 2-1 defeat at Borussia Dortmund, which leaves the French club facing the prospect of another early Champions League exit.

After missing four games in the last fortnight with a rib injury, the Brazilian superstar looked short of match fitness in Tuesday's last-16, first-leg, defeat at Dortmund.

Norwegian goal-machine Erling Braut Haaland scored twice to make him the Champions League joint top-scorer, but Neymar gave PSG a lifeline for the second leg in Paris on March 11.

He tapped home for what could prove a crucial away goal after being set up by France striker Kylian Mbappe in the second half.

Neymar, the world's most expensive player, was critical of the French league champions for not letting him play more before Tuesday's clash.

"It's hard to go four games without playing," said Neymar.

"Unfortunately it wasn't my choice, it was the choice of the club, of the doctors, they made that decision, which I didn't like.

"We had a lot of discussions about it because I wanted to play, I felt good, but the club was afraid and in the end it was me who suffered."

Big-spending PSG are desperate to avoid exiting the Champions League at the first knockout round for a fourth season in a row.

"It was a tough game, but we have to do what we can in the return game," Neymar, 28, told reporters.

"Playing now at home is the best thing in the world, we have 90 minutes to do something.

Five ties to watch in the Europa League this week

Catherine Ivill, getty

The Europa League knockout phase begins on Thursday, with VAR being introduced to Europe's secondary club competition for the first time outwith the final for the last 32, first-leg ties. AFP Sport picks five games to watch this week:

Manchester United's Champions League aspirations have been given a major boost in recent days, first with the news of Manchester City's two-year ban from the competition. Then, on Monday, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side beat Chelsea 2-0 away to close to within three points of their opponents in fourth place in the Premier League.

Now they revert their focus to the Europa League, which could also offer them a ticket to next season's Champions League if they reach the final in Gdansk in May and lift the trophy.

United head to Belgium to take on Club Brugge in the first leg of their tie. Beaten by Liverpool in two European finals in the 1970s, Club Brugge are not a side to be taken lightly. They dropped out of the Champions League group stage despite holding Real Madrid away, and are nine points clear atop the Belgian league.

Arsenal are unbeaten in their last eight games under Mikel Arteta, although the Gunners' new Spanish boss could do with turning some of his team's many draws into more victories.

Currently in mid-table in the Premier League, last season's beaten finalists travel to face Olympiakos knowing this competition is surely their best bet if they are to return to the Champions League next term.

"They may not have started well in the Premier League this season, but they have great players, are dangerous and deserve our respect," said Pedro Martins, the coach of Olympiakos.

The Greek league leaders dropped out of the Champions League group stage despite holding Tottenham Hotspur to a 2-2 draw in Piraeus.

After enchanting Europe on their run to the Champions League semi-finals last year, Ajax were brought crashing back to earth when they were eliminated from this season's competition in the group stage.

The Dutch champions were then handed a tough Europa League draw against a Getafe side who have been one of the stories of the season in Spain.

The unfashionable outfit from the working-class satellite town just south of Madrid finished fifth in La Liga last season and are currently third under Jose Bordalas, whose his idol as a youngster was Johan Cruyff.

"They are warriors. They fight for every ball and really give everything," Ajax star Dusan Tadic told Dutch daily Algemeen Dagblad. "They are physically very strong and go beyond the limits if necessary."

It is Getafe's first European knockout tie since they took Bayern Munich to extra time in the UEFA Cup quarter-finals in 2008.

Erling Braut Haaland's eight goals were not enough for Salzburg to qualify from the Champions League group stage, and the Austrians have since lost their striker to Borussia Dortmund. Japanese winger Takumi Minamino also departed for Liverpool, leaving them looking seriously weakened for the second half of the season.

Salzburg did sign Swiss starlet Noah Okafor, but their first league game after a long winter break ended in a 3-2 home defeat by title rivals LASK Linz last weekend.

Now Salzburg face Eintracht Frankfurt, meaning a reunion with Adi Huetter, who coached Salzburg to a league and cup double in 2015.

Celtic have been eliminated at this stage in the last two seasons but should fancy their chances against FC Copenhagen as they head to Denmark.

While Celtic have claimed nine straight wins this calendar year, Copenhagen's first league game of 2020 ended in defeat last weekend.

Current Celtic manager Neil Lennon was a player when the Glasgow giants lost 3-1 on their last trip to Copenhagen in the Champions League in 2006.

His team qualified by topping their group, and of this tie he said: "It's great to have European football after Christmas, and it's a tough draw. It could have been tougher, but it could have been easier."

Mendes connections allow Wolves to dream again

Marc Atkins, getty

Wolverhampton Wanderers have only sporadically enjoyed European football since their golden era in the 1950s, but a controversial connection with Portuguese super-agent Jorge Mendes has made them a force to be reckoned with again.

The club's three league triumphs are immortalised in statues to Wolves legend Billy Wright and manager Stan Cullis at either end of the club's Molineux stadium.

The side they led came to be heralded "champions of the world" by the English press for winning a serious of glamour friendlies that ultimately led to the creation of the European Cup.

Sixty years on, Wolves could be back in the Champions League next season via a top-four finish in the Premier League -- potentially fifth should Manchester City's two-year European football ban stand -- or by winning the Europa League.

Nuno Espirito Santo's men host Espanyol in the first leg of their Europa League last-32 tie on Thursday and sit just five points off the Champions League places in the Premier League.

Just six years ago Wolves were a sleeping giant, rooted in England's third tier, but a takeover by Chinese conglomerate Fosun in 2016 and their close links to Mendes have transformed the fortunes of the club.

The appointment of Nuno as coach and a steady drip feed of some of Mendes' star-studded client list saw Wolves promoted in the Portuguese manager's first season in charge and finish seventh in their first campaign back in the Premier League.

"For a lot of fans of my generation you feel like you are watching your game of Football Manager come to life," David Evans of the Wolves Fancast told AFP.

Portuguese internationals Rui Patricio, Ruben Neves and Joao Moutinho, former Atletico Madrid and Benfica striker Raul Jimenez and Nuno himself are among the Mendes clients to become modern-day giants at Molineux.

"After many conversations, he convinced me that taking charge of the Wolves would be the right step for me. The project was very challenging and was presented in a very enthusiastic way," Nuno told ESPN Brazil.

"He is my friend and a person I admire a lot. He is the best agent in the world."

Wolves' success has not been without its critics. Leeds United owner Andrea Radrizzani branded the relationship between Fosun and Mendes "not legal and fair" in 2018.

However, investigations from both the English Football League and Premier League concluded that as Mendes holds no official role at the club, no rules are being breached.

Wolves' reliance on the Mendes production line shows no sign of slowing down. The signing of Daniel Podence from Olympiakos in January took the total number of Portuguese players in Nuno's first-team squad to eight.

Earlier this month, sporting director Kevin Thelwell -- the man credited for shrewd signings not connected to Mendes such as club captain Conor Coady and Belgium international Leander Dendoncker -- left the club to become head of sport at New York Red Bulls.

Correspondence that came to light in the Football Leaks disclosures showed the pivotal role played by Mendes. One email from Wolves executive chairman Jeff Shi to Mendes's Gestifute agency said: "You always know the reason for the investment of Wolves is mainly because of our bet and trust on Jorge."

Premier League clubs spent more than £260 million ($336 million) alone on agents' fees in the 2018/19 season, accelerating calls for a crackdown on that money flooding out of the game.

However, for fans who have lived through the hard times, hooking up with Mendes is a price well worth playing to chase the Champions League dream.

"Ninety-five percent of the players we have had from him have been fantastic successes, so we can't argue with that," said Evans.

"If you've got the option of tapping into the little black book of Jorge Mendes and his stockpile, why wouldn't you do that?

"I'm sure other teams in the Premier League, if they had the option to utilise a relationship with someone like Mendes, they would."