Tottenham Pre-Season Test Against Getafe as Injuries Persist

Tottenham slip back behind the gates at Hotspur Way this weekend, their pre-season now moving from the noise of New Zealand and Australia to the hush of a behind-closed-doors friendly against Getafe.

The tour “Down Under” did its job. Four games, no defeats, and a finale that felt like a statement. Reduced to 10 men after Kevin Danso’s dismissal, Roberto De Zerbi’s side still found a way to beat Chelsea 2-1, Richarlison striking with virtually the last kick of the game. It was only pre-season, but it carried the edge of something more serious: resolve, belief, a refusal to accept the script.

Now comes the quieter work.

De Zerbi’s balancing act

Two weeks out from the Premier League opener at Brentford, De Zerbi is trying to squeeze in cohesion without breaking his squad. Tottenham’s season fell apart under the weight of injuries last year; the scars of that collapse are dictating every decision this summer.

Destiny Udogie and James Maddison have yet to kick a ball in pre-season. Maddison’s hip problem has left him racing the calendar, his availability for Brentford already in doubt. Udogie remains another conspicuous absentee as the Italian manager pieces together his first-choice XI.

Micky van de Ven, close to signing a new contract, has not featured since returning from the World Cup. Dominic Solanke only just tasted his first minutes of the summer in that win over Chelsea. De Zerbi is resisting the temptation to rush. The temptation is obvious. So is the risk.

He knows he needs relationships to form, especially after a heavy summer of spending. Patterns, partnerships, the little automatisms that turn good teams into serious ones — those do not appear by magic. The Getafe game, even in private, is a key step in that process.

Kudus and Kulusevski inch forward

There was at least a flicker of optimism at Hotspur Way this week. Long-term absentees Mohammed Kudus and Dejan Kulusevski were spotted running together in training, a small but significant sight for a club that has missed their creativity and drive.

Kudus has been sidelined since January with a serious quad injury. Kulusevski has been out even longer, more than a year since a patella injury in May 2025 halted his momentum. Tottenham are treating the Swede with particular care. He is not yet involved in full team sessions and remains some distance from a competitive return.

Kudus is further along. He has rejoined the main group and is edging towards full fitness, though it remains unlikely he will be risked against Getafe. With Brentford on the horizon and a long campaign ahead, Spurs will not gamble now on a player who could define their attacking threat later in the season.

Mateus Fernandes, the £85million signing, is at least back in the mix. A calf issue kept him out of the last two games, but he has returned to training and is in contention to feature on Saturday. For a side trying to bed in big-money recruits, every pre-season minute counts.

Quiet test, clear priorities

Behind closed doors, De Zerbi is expected to send out something close to a full-strength side, fitness permitting. The predicted XI underlines his desire to sharpen the spine of the team:

Kinsky; Gray, Van de Ven, Van Hecke, Robertson; Fernandes, Tonali; Williams-Barnett, Gallagher, Tel; Solanke.

Maddison, Udogie and Kudus remain doubts. Their absence keeps the focus on those available, and on how quickly De Zerbi can mould them into a unit that looks ready for the Premier League’s intensity.

Getafe offer a controlled examination, a chance to refine the press, test combinations and stretch legs without the circus of a full stadium. The real dress rehearsal comes next: a double-header against Hoffenheim next weekend, one final tune-up before the curtain goes up away to Brentford.

For now, it is 3pm BST on Saturday August 8, 2026, at Hotspur Way. No cameras, no crowd, no fanfare.

Just a manager, a squad still carrying a few scars, and a quietly urgent question: can Tottenham get everyone fit and firing in time for when the games start to count?