Thomas Frank provides Lucas Bergvall update after Tottenham midfielder suffers concussion | OneFootball

Thomas Frank has issued an update on Lucas Bergvall’s fitness after the midfielder suffered a concussion against Chelsea.

The 19-year-old was forced to come off only seven minutes into Saturday’s game after taking a hit to his head from a clearance by Enzo Fernandez in the fourth minute.

He was initially eager to carry on but after Tottenham medical staff conducted a concussion test he was substituted, with Frank confirming on Monday that he had suffered a concussion.

“Lucas got concussion, which was probably pretty obvious from the footage,” Frank said in his press conference on Monday. “Big praise to the medical team because it’s a tricky situation to be in when it’s two minutes into a game and everything is on it, so well done to them because the players’ health is the most important thing.”

Frank added that the Swede would miss the next two games, the clash against Copenhagen and next Saturday’s visit to Manchester United.

FA guidelines say players with concussion should undergo 24 to 48 hours of “relative rest” before a gradual return to usual training, “at a rate that does not worsen existing symptoms”.

Djed Spence and Mohammed Kudus both picked up knocks but “could and should be available for tomorrow”, Frank continued.

Tottenham sit fifth in the league but were roundly booed by supporters at both half- and full-time in the 1-0 home defeat, and face a quick turnaround ahead of hosting Copenhagen in the Champions League on Tuesday night, in an increasingly toxic atmosphere.

Much of the attention during Saturday’s game was on the reaction of fans at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The club have won just three home wins in their past 19 games; of England’s top four tiers of football, only Championship relegation candidates Southampton have won fewer home games than Tottenham in the same timeframe.

Frank encouraged his players to do a lap of the pitch to thank the fans, but Micky van de Ven and Spence - both of whom made mistakes in the build-up to Joao Pedro’s winning goal - ignored his instructions and walked down the tunnel instead.

The former Brentford manager said that both players had apologised to him for the incident, and added: “They didn't want it to look bad or disrespectful - any misconception that you can get in this beautiful media world. They were just frustrated with the performance from the loss and the booing during the game.”

Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario said he felt the need to “protect” Bergvall at the final whistle, saying: “I think in every environment there are good people, and also bad people. I had to protect him because he was a little bit emotional during that time, and I think me being experienced [helps]."