‘I didn’t know!’: Son Heung-min learns that he faces a Champions League ban during a television interview after shining in Tottenham’s thrilling quarter-final win over Manchester City
- Son Heung-min was Tottenham’s hero against Manchester City on Wednesday
- The South Korean scored twice in a 4-3 loss as Spurs prevailed on away goals
- But Son will miss the first leg of Tottenham’s Champions League semi-final
- Son will be suspended after picking up his third European booking this season
Tottenham will be without Son Heung-min for the first leg of their Champions League semi-final against Ajax.
Son will be banned for the match in London after picking up his third European yellow card of the season during Wednesday’s 4-3 loss at Manchester City.
The South Korean icon scored twice to help Spurs progress on away goals, having netted the winner in a 1-0 first-leg victory eight days earlier. But Tottenham will not be able to call on him when Ajax visit their new stadium, after Son was booked for tugging the shirt of Kevin De Bruyne shortly after half-time.
Son Heung-min was Tottenham’s hero as they knocked Manchester City out of Europe
Son scored twice at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night, with his first coming early
City goalkeeper Ederson was well beaten by a curling shot for Son’s second of the match
Son was not aware of his suspension until a journalist on German television asked him how he felt about it. He replied: ‘I didn’t know!’
Tottenham will be without Harry Kane for both games against Ajax, although he could be fit if they progress to the final in Madrid on June 1. Kane sustained a ‘significant lateral ligament injury to his left ankle’ in the first leg against City.
Ex-England captain Rio Ferdinand is impressed with how Son has stepped up in Kane’s absence — not just during the past eight days, but also earlier in the season when he scored four goals in four games while Kane was sidelined with another ankle injury.
Ferdinand told BT Sport at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night: ‘Unbelievable. You have to remember that this is without their talisman. Harry Kane didn’t play today. The Spurs fans would have been worried – “Oh we haven’t got our main man”.
‘But that guy loves responsibility. Son takes that on the chin and says: “Yeah, give it to me. I’ll take all that responsibility. I’ll shoulder that now.”
‘The way he played, especially in the first half, was beautiful.’
Son was shown a yellow card for a foul on Kevin De Bruyne and will now serve a suspension
BT Sport’s Rio Ferdinand was full of praise for Son, describing his performance as ‘beautiful’