For that’s where Heung-min Son is in action for South Korea in a quarter-final Asian Cup clash with Qatar.
If South Korea lose today, Tottenham’s Son will fly straight back into England and will be available to face Watford on Wednesday. The FA Cup clash with Crystal Palace on Sunday, of course, will come too soon.
But if Son’s side win Spurs will be without their key man for at least another week.
Victory for South Korea would set up a semi-final clash with either UAE or Australia on Tuesday. The final – if, as expected, they get there – will take place on Sunday.
Son only joined his team mates in the United Arab Emirates for their final group match against China as part of a deal with Spurs that allowed him to play for his country at last year’s Asian Games.
The 26-year-old said that his experience in the Premier League would help him cope with playing another match today against a youthful Qatari team.
“It about mentality I think,” he said. “Yes, I’m tired, after the game I’m tired, of course, but I’ll try to recover as quickly as possible and play again in three days.
“It’s the same when I play for Tottenham.”
Mauricio Pochettino’s Tottenham squad are down to the bones with Dele Alli and Harry Kane both out.
Alli is sidelined until early March after sustaining the problem in Sunday’s 2-1 win over Fulham, the third time he has suffered a hamstring injury this season.
The 22-year-old joins Kane in the treatment room and the influential pair are going to be absent for a crucial part of Spurs’ campaign.
They are set to miss the FA Cup fourth-round tie at Crystal Palace, the Champions League last-16 first leg against Borussia Dortmund and a host of important Premier League games, potentially including the north London derby.
Pochettino said this week: “Now we need to be positive like with Harry Kane. Of course, we are going to miss him for a long period.
“It’s one of the worst moments because we have ahead very busy fixtures.
“You know very well that for us the squad is very important and of course it’s a very good opportunity for other players to step up.”