Tottenham Hotspur got the result they wanted at Stamford Bridge, but the sight of James Maddison walking off after just seven minutes of the second half was the sort of moment that changes the mood in an instant. Wins are one thing. Losing a player who has only just clawed his way back into the starting line-up is quite another.
That is what made this such an awkward evening. Maddison had only recently returned to the XI after 18 months and had marked that comeback with a goal in Monday night's 3-1 win against Coventry. He then backed it up by starting again on Saturday and looking sharp in the first half against Chelsea before waving at the bench and making way for Conor Gallagher. For a player trying to rebuild momentum, it was a brutal interruption.
A worrying interruption to a promising return
Roberto De Zerbi did not dress it up after the match. He said he hoped Maddison had not felt a big problem, but also made it clear that a medical check was needed. He added that the medical assessment would have to come tomorrow, after tomorrow, and repeated that he hoped it was not a major issue because Maddison is a special player and Tottenham Hotspur need him.
That is the uncomfortable truth here: this was not just a substitution, it was a reminder of how fragile a comeback can be. Maddison had been one of the positive stories of the week, with that first start in 18 months and a goal against Coventry giving Tottenham something to build on. Instead, the Chelsea match turned into a waiting game.
De Zerbi also described Maddison and Kulusevski as two diamonds who have to be managed carefully because both are special players with different personalities. It was a revealing line, and not just because it flatters the pair. It underlined the reality that Tottenham Hotspur cannot simply throw key players into every test and hope for the best. They need them fit, available and protected.
For now, the only honest verdict is that the situation needs checking before anyone says more. Tottenham Hotspur won 2-0 at Chelsea, but the bigger concern is whether one of their most important returning players has been set back before he has even had time to settle.
