Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho (right) shakes hands with midfielder Harry Winks after losing to RB Leipzig in London on Wednesday. Photo: VCG

 

Jose Mourinho fears his side's season is running out of gas ­after an injury-hit Spurs slumped to a 1-0 defeat at home to RB Leipzig in the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie.

Spurs could be without the talismanic duo of Harry Kane and Son Heung-min for the rest of the season through injury and looked toothless against the Bundesliga contenders.  

"We are in a very difficult situation," said Mourinho. "What worries me is this is going to be the situation until the end of the season."

Tottenham captain Hugo Lloris kept his side in the tie with a string of important saves, but he could not prevent Timo Werner from the penalty spot as the German international's 26th goal of the season gave Leipzig a lead to defend on home soil on March 10.

Tottenham upset the odds to progress past Manchester City and Ajax to reach last season's final. But it was Leipzig who looked the seasoned Champions League team in their first ever knockout tie in the competition.

After receiving the news that Son would be sidelined by a fractured right arm on the eve of the game, Mourinho compared his side's prospects for the rest of the season to hanging from a fourth-floor building by the balcony.

The hosts could easily have fallen flat on their face inside the first 90 seconds as Leipzig amazingly passed up four chances to open the scoring through Patrik Schick, Angelino and Werner.

Werner could be a more frequent foe for Spurs next season with speculation linking him to Liverpool.

However, his profligacy ensured the hosts went in level at the break as he fired too close to Lloris with just the French number one to beat.

Leipzig could have regretted not making the most of their supremacy during the first 45 minutes as Peter Gulacsi saved well from Lucas Moura and Steven Bergwijn fired the rebound wide early in the second period.

However, after grinding out wins over Manchester City, Norwich, Southampton and Aston Villa in recent weeks despite conceding plenty of chances, Spurs' luck ran out.

An ill-timed lunge from Ben Davies chopped down Konrad Laimer inside the area just before the hour mark and Werner confidently converted the resulting penalty.

Moments later only a fine save by Lloris denied Schick a second at the end of a flowing move involving Christopher Nkunku, Angelino and a delightful dummy from Werner to tee up his strike partner.

"If I could, I would move immediately to the first of July with Kane, [Moussa] Sissoko, Son, Lucas, [Erik] Lamela, Bergwijn [all fit]," added Mourinho.