2026-02-15 10:33:04
James Maddison doesn’t regret “sacrificing” himself for Tottenham Hotspur’s Europa League campaign.
The midfielder suffered a head injury and damaged his knee in the quarter-final against Eintracht Frankfurt, and the collision with the German side’s keeper led to a penalty that Dominic Solanke scored, taking the team into the semi-final, and while he has barely played since, James wouldn’t change what happened.
He told FourFourTwo magazine: “I put my body on the line for the team and got clattered by the keeper.
“I think that was the reason I did my knee actually, because after that it just wasn’t right.
“I had to come straight off in that game because I’d almost got concussion, basically.
“It was quite a sliding doors moment. We won 1-0, Dom scored the penalty and we might not have gone on and won the Europa League but for that.
“It was quite pivotal for me personally too – I kind of sacrificed myself, but I wouldn’t change it for the world.”
Despite his injury, James was part of Spurs’ starting 11 for the semi-final against Bodo/Glimt and scored in the first half, before having to be substituted due to his knee problem, but he wasn’t too regretful at missing the final against Manchester United.
He said: “Scoring in the semi was amazing. Not being on the pitch in the final wasn’t strange.
“Obviously you want to be involved, but I knew I’d played my part.
“I’d scored in the league phase, the round of 16, assisted in the quarters and scored in the semis, so I’d done my bit.
“I was more nervous to be honest, watching it as a Tottenham fan. I felt every emotion.
“It was the longest 90 minutes ever, but we got it over the line.
“I actually thought I was going to try and sprint on and get with the lads at the final whistle, but I got really emotional and started crying like a baby.”
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