Tottenham Hotspur will round off their pre-season schedule with a double-header against Hoffenheim, as Roberto De Zerbi looks to finalise his plans ahead of the Premier League campaign.
Spurs host the Bundesliga side at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday before the two clubs meet again behind closed doors at Hotspur Way less than 24 hours later. The split fixtures are expected to allow De Zerbi to give minutes to almost his entire first-team squad before the league season begins.
Several key players closing in on returns
De Zerbi is expected to rotate heavily across the two friendlies, with several senior players hoping to feature after limited involvement during pre-season.
James Maddison is still waiting for his first appearance after recovering from the anterior cruciate ligament injury that ended most of his previous campaign, while Micky van de Ven has also yet to feature following his extended post-World Cup break.
There is also optimism surrounding Mohammed Kudus, who has returned to full training after a long-term quadriceps injury and could make his first appearance since January.
Meanwhile, Pedro Porro is available again after returning to training this week and is expected to play a major role under De Zerbi following the expected departure of Djed Spence.
Transfer exits continue to shape squad
Tottenham are also preparing for changes away from the pitch.
Cristian Romero is expected to miss the Hoffenheim fixtures as he finalises his move to Atletico Madrid, while Djed Spence is also unlikely to feature with his transfer to Inter Milan nearing completion.
The departures could hand opportunities to several of Tottenham's summer signings, including Marcos Senesi and Mateus Fernandes, who are pushing for more minutes after limited involvement in recent friendlies.
Strong side expected for final friendly
De Zerbi is expected to name a competitive starting XI for Saturday's public fixture before giving the remaining squad members significant minutes behind closed doors on Sunday.
A predicted Tottenham lineup is:
Kinsky; Gray, Van Hecke, Senesi, Robertson; Fernandes, Tonali; Maddison, Kudus, Richarlison; Tel.
However, with two matches scheduled in less than 24 hours, substantial rotation is expected across both fixtures as De Zerbi manages workloads before Tottenham's Premier League opener.
Key Points
- Tottenham face Hoffenheim twice this weekend to conclude pre-season.
- James Maddison, Mohammed Kudus and Pedro Porro could all feature.
- Cristian Romero and Djed Spence are expected to miss the games amid transfer moves.
- Roberto De Zerbi is likely to use two different starting line-ups across the two fixtures.
- The Hoffenheim matches are Spurs' final preparations before the Premier League season.
What's Next?
Following the Hoffenheim double-header, Tottenham will turn their full attention to their Premier League opener as De Zerbi prepares for his first full season in charge. The weekend should also provide a clearer indication of which players are ready to start the campaign, particularly those returning from injury and the club's summer signings.
Which Tottenham player are you most looking forward to seeing ahead of the new Premier League season?
0 Comments
First read message
Leave a comment
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *