Sign up to FREE email alerts from Football London - Spurs Subscribe Thank you for subscribing See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Kieran Trippier has revealed exactly why his form this season has been affected leading to him being left out of this week's England squad for the Nations League.

The 28-year-old has struggled to reach the heights of last summer's World Cup performances and that semi-final goal from a free-kick against Croatia.

Trippier has been linked with a move away from Spurs, with Napoli and Atletico Madrid reported as potential suitors, and now Gareth Southgate has left him out of his squad to face the Netherlands in the Nations League semi-final next month.

He has at least the boost of the Champions League final against Liverpool in Madrid on Saturday, but the right-back knows he has struggled this season.

"I have had a lot of groin injuries, I have been struggling with my groins from a number of months now, it has been affecting me, annoying me, but there has been so many games – Saturday, Wednesday, Tuesday – so it has been difficult to do my rehab and properly focus on it, but now I have had the three weeks, the big gap and I have been able to do that and I feel good now," he said.

"It has not helped [my form], obviously with the World Cup in the summer and coming back and playing straight away....the season has gone now, I have to accept the way I have played this season, I know I can play so much better.

"But it's about accepting it, looking back and reviewing it like I always do after every game. It has happened, the way I have played...one big game left, if I play I can give everything to the team to help us win."

He added: "It has been a difficult season with injuries. I have had different types of injuries, it feels like these three weeks have enabled me to recover, and manage it properly without so many games.

"We've had like three games a week and it has been difficult to manage that. But now I have had three weeks to properly settle down and do my rehab on it and I am feeling fit and ready and hopefully I will get the nod to play [in the final]."

Trippier's situation has not been helped by his fellow right-back Serge Aurier missing out with injury towards the end of the campaign.

"Maybe [I could have got more rest], but it is the manager's decision who plays. Serge has been injured, but he is fit now, and it is good to see him back," he said.

"There is competition everywhere now. The last few weeks has been about training hard and giving everything in training and showing the manager that you deserve to play."

Trippier has enjoyed the past three weeks as the team prepares for the biggest match in the club's history.

"It has obviously been different preparing three weeks for a massive game. We have all prepared very well the last few weeks, the manager has got everything spot on and we are focusing on the massive game on Saturday now," he said.

"We are all excited, all the players are back, it is such a huge game, we are all looking forward to it and ready to give everything for one massive final."

Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino will be in the unusual position of having a full squad to choose from for the final.

"It has been strange because if you look at the whole season we have always had a few injuries," said Trippier.

"Now everybody is back, everybody is fit, it is going to be interesting, whoever is selected, and I know whoever is on the bench or not selected that's the type of club we have got here, there are no egos, everyone is trying to help the team, but it is good to have everybody back.

"We have Harry Kane back, we have Winksy back, two huge players for us, who give us a huge boost.

"Watching it from such a young age, the Champions League is the biggest club final you can win, to win this for this club and everything that we have given this season, the circumstances we have had, Wembley, injuries, it will be a good way to finish the season."

Keep up to date with the latest Tottenham Hotspur news, features and exclusives from football.london via our free WhatsApp service.

Click here to enroll or text NEWS to 07776197989 and then add the number to your phone contacts book as spurs dot london (case sensitive, with spaces) to receive daily updates and breaking news from Alasdair Gold and the team on Spurs.

Your phone number won't be shared with any other members of the group. Click here for more information on the service.