Tottenham Pre-Season Double-Header Against Hoffenheim
Tottenham step up their pre-season schedule this weekend with a double-header against Hoffenheim that will test both Roberto De Zerbi’s fitness plans and the depth of his squad.
Double shift for De Zerbi’s squad
The Bundesliga side visit the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium today, with a second meeting pencilled in less than 24 hours later in a behind-closed-doors clash at Hotspur Way. It’s a demanding schedule by design.
De Zerbi is expected to roll out two almost entirely different starting XIs, using the back-to-back fixtures to spread minutes across his group and sharpen legs before the Premier League kicks off next weekend. Those heavily involved today are likely to sit out tomorrow. Those who barely feature, or miss out altogether, should get their chance in the second game.
Tottenham arrive at this stage unbeaten in pre-season, but that record carries a small asterisk. Their most recent outing, another private friendly against Getafe last Saturday, ended in a 1-1 draw and was restricted to 70 minutes.
Players who did not feature in that match, including new arrivals Mateus Fernandes and Marcos Senesi, were instead put through an in-house friendly later the same day. De Zerbi clearly wants no one short of match rhythm when the real stuff starts.
Maddison, Van de Ven concerns linger
For all the careful planning, some absences are starting to nag at the new head coach.
James Maddison, a leading candidate to inherit the captain’s armband once Cristian Romero completes his move to Atletico Madrid, has yet to play a single minute in pre-season. Spurs are treading carefully as he continues his recovery from the anterior cruciate ligament injury that wiped out most of his last campaign. The caution is understandable. The clock is still ticking.
Micky van de Ven, another strong contender for the captaincy and fresh from signing a lucrative new contract, has also been missing from De Zerbi’s squads since returning from extended post-World Cup leave. It is not clear whether the defender is battling a fitness issue, but De Zerbi will want him involved in some capacity this weekend. A leader at the back cannot afford a slow start.
Porro back as first-choice, exits looming
There is better news at right-back. World Cup winner Pedro Porro is in line to feature after returning to the training ground this week to a guard of honour from his teammates. The 26-year-old, who signed a new long-term deal in June, is set to be a central figure in De Zerbi’s set-up and is nailed on as Spurs’ first-choice right-back.
That status leaves Djed Spence on the move. Spence is expected to join Inter Milan and, like Romero, will be absent against Hoffenheim as he finalises his departure. Romero is currently in Madrid for a medical ahead of his switch to Atletico, drawing a firm line under one leadership era as another begins to take shape.
Kudus edging towards long-awaited return
One of the most intriguing subplots of the weekend surrounds Mohammed Kudus. The attacker has not played since January after suffering a serious quad injury, but has now returned to full-team training.
His comeback is being handled with care. De Zerbi has admitted the club rushed Kudus back earlier in the year, a decision that led to a setback in April. This time the approach is more measured, but there is genuine hope he could see the pitch for the first time in months over these two games.
Two matches in two days, an unbeaten record to protect, key men still missing, and new leaders emerging. For De Zerbi, this is no gentle warm-up. It’s the final audition before Tottenham discover what they really are in the season ahead.
