Heung-Min Son to Miss Carabao Cup Semi-Final 2nd Leg Due to Asian Cup

Tottenham Hotspur will be without Heung-Min Son for the second leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final with Chelsea after he was called up to South Korea's squad for the 2019 Asian Cup. 

It was confirmed by the club that Son will head off on international duty following the clash with Manchester United in the Premier League on January 13:

Son will be available for South Korea's final group game with China as a result. The tournament in the United Arab Emirates begins on January 5, with the final set for February 1.

Spurs are pencilled in to face Chelsea on either January 8 or 9 in the first leg of the semi-final, with the return fixture at Stamford Bridge on January 22 or 23.

Tottenham have Premier League matches with Fulham and Watford either side of the trip to Chelsea, as well as another top-flight showdown with Newcastle on February 2. Spurs may also have an FA Cup fourth-round fixture to negotiate before Son returns, provided they get past Tranmere Rovers in Round 3.

The news will be sure to disappoint Tottenham supporters, as the forward has developed into a crucial player in Mauricio Pochettino's setup.

Liam Twomey of ESPN FC said it's a boost for Chelsea's chances of making it to the League Cup final:

This season Son has scored some crucial goals for Spurs, including a sensational strike in the 3-1 win over Chelsea earlier in the campaign. Additionally, he was on the scoresheet on Wednesday night, as Tottenham booked their place in the Carabao Cup semis with a 2-0 win over rivals Arsenal.

Sky Sports Statto noted the 26-year-old is developing into a specialist in the cup competitions for Spurs:

Overall this season he has grabbed six goals and three assists in all competitions.

It's not the first time Spurs have been without Son this season due international obligations, as he was involved in the Asian Games earlier in the campaign. After playing on the opening day of the 2018-19 season in August, the forward's next match was against Liverpool on September 15.

Given he's beginning to find form again, Tottenham fans will be sad to be without Son for this vital portion of the season. However, in Harry Kane, Dele Alli, Lucas Moura, Christian Eriksen and Erik Lamela, Pochettino has the firepower to get by.