Julen Lopetegui is set to hold crunch talks with Mohammed Kudus following the midfielder's shocking red card in a disastrous 4-1 defeat at the hands of Tottenham. Kudus saw red in the 86th minute, sparking widespread outrage and cementing a miserable day for Lopetegui's team. The Ghanaian midfielder lashed out at both Micky van de Ven and Pape Sarr, striking them both in the face in a shocking display of petulance.
The incident has raised serious questions about Kudus' temperament and raised concerns about the long-term impact of such incidents on his promising career. While Lopetegui has been vocal about his admiration for Kudus' talent, it's clear that this moment of recklessness has let the entire team down. As the team struggles to come to terms with this humiliating loss, the manager faces an uphill task in addressing the disciplinary issues plaguing his squad.
Lopetegui's post-match comments suggested a sense of disappointment and frustration, hinting at a more comprehensive review of the incident in the coming days. "We will address the issue internally and make sure it doesn't happen again. It's not the kind of behavior we expect from our players," he said, his words laced with a sense of exasperation.
The manager's actions will be closely scrutinized, particularly as Kudus' reputation as a hot-headed player continues to grow. It remains to be seen what measures will be taken, but Lopetegui's response will undoubtedly have far-reaching consequences for the player and the team as a whole. As the inquest into the Spurs thrashing begins, one thing is clear: something needs to change, and fast, if Lopetegui's team is to recover from this demoralizing defeat.