Jose Mourinho has claimed that Hugo Lloris’ return to action has left him with “mixed emotions”, per Football London.
What’s he said?
Spurs beat Norwich City 2-1 on Wednesday evening and the surprise of the night was perhaps the France international’s inclusion in goal.
He had been injured since October when he sustained a serious elbow problem in the dismal 3-0 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion.
Lloris subsequently missed 15 Premier League games, including the final four matches of Mauricio Pochettino’s reign, but played for the first time under Mourinho against the Canaries.
And the Portuguese says that he has been left with a bittersweet feeling after the World Cup winner’s outing.
He said: “The return of Hugo is mixed emotions for me. It’s happiness to see one of the best goalkeepers in the world to be back. It’s a very good feeling for us but at the same time it is one of these decisions that sometimes we must have it, but it hurts. To leave Paulo out hurts.
“The good thing is that he is such a good member of the family and he is such a special friend of Hugo that I think he also shared our happiness to have Hugo back as a friend.
“For me, he gave me a lot of thinking and I had to try to be cold to make a decision without emotions because to leave Paulo out is not easy.”
No room for sentiment
Spurs need their best players fit.
While Lloris was looking rather suspect before his injury – he had kept just one clean sheet in the league – Gazzaniga has been just as poor.
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He has shipped 23 goals in 17 league games and has been on the winning side just five times; even in those games, he conceded six goals.
Having Lloris back, then, is a boost, and there is no room for Mourinho to be sentimental about the potential impact on the former Southampton man.
Dropping him is the only answer.
Meanwhile, one image should force Daniel Levy into the transfer market!