Tottenham Hotspur will be without an 'important' player in winger Lucas Moura tonight, as confirmed by manager Antonio Conte.

The Lowdown: Spurs gearing up...

The Lilywhites are gearing up for an historic occasion this evening as Conte prepares for Spurs' first appearance in the Champions League for over two years.

Their last cameo, a two-leg Last 16 defeat at the hands of RB Leipzig, feels like a distant memory with Tottenham making an unbeaten start to this Premier League campaign whilst showcasing real confidence.

Ahead of a blockbuster league clash with champions Man City at the weekend, Spurs couldn't ask for a tastier warm up than an opening group stage match in Europe's most prestigious competition.

The Latest: Lucas missing...

However, it appears the north Londoners will be without forward Lucas again despite the Brazilian returning to training on the pitch.

Indeed, he's making progress in his recovery, but the 30-year-old won't quite be back in time to make an appearance this evening.

Conte explained to the press:

"Moura is not available, not still available. I think tomorrow he starts to have a training session on the pitch. He has this inflammation in his tendon and I hope to recover him very soon because especially up front we need him."

The Verdict: Setback...

According to Lucas himself, Conte has explained that the winger is an 'important' player for Spurs and we believe he could offer something different from the bench when available.

This is backed by the numbers with no Spurs player managing to complete as many successful take-ons per 90 as the former Paris-Saint Germain star last season (WhoScored).

Ahead of a long and congested campaign, it's little surprise Conte wants him back as soon as possible, but he'll have to keep waiting.