Igor Tudor admits Tottenham struggling physically in relegation battle

Tottenham interim boss Igor Tudor has admitted his side are physically "not in an amazing position" as they prepare for a crucial week in their fight against relegation.

Spurs sit just four points above the Premier League drop zone and are still searching for their first league victory of 2026.

The north Londoners face Fulham this weekend in a match viewed as must-win, but their preparations have been hampered by a debilitating injury list.

Injury crisis hampers high-pressing style

The Croatian head coach is attempting to implement a high-intensity pressing system but concedes his depleted squad is struggling to adapt.

Despite the return of defenders Pedro Porro and Kevin Danso, nine first-team players remain unavailable due to injury or suspension.

"Physically, I believe, we are not in an amazing situation," said Tudor.

"They have played lots of games in the last period without lots of players available and it meant the physical condition of the team has dropped down."

Tudor emphasised the need to utilise training time to restore energy levels within the group.

"We need to use this period where we don’t play the games to put some petrol in the engine so the engine starts to work better."

Tudor tight-lipped on medical issues

The 47-year-old hinted at frustration regarding the club’s fitness crisis but refused to be drawn into specific criticism of the situation.

"I have my thoughts, I have opinions here, but I keep them to myself," he stated.

With the squad threadbare, inexperienced players are being forced to manage the significant mental and physical load of a survival battle.

The former Marseille boss believes this pressure represents a unique challenge for his younger stars to mature quickly.

"Some players are still young. They were brought here to help and now maybe they are in a moment where they need to resolve the problems," Tudor explained.

"If you have too many of these players because of the amount of injuries who are playing together in the squad, it does create some problems, but it is also an opportunity and a challenge to grow fast."

Tottenham must now navigate a pivotal run of fixtures, starting with Fulham followed by Crystal Palace, as they look to secure their Premier League status.