Tottenham Pre-Season Preparation: Hoffenheim Double-Header

Tottenham step up their pre-season preparations this weekend with a double-header against Hoffenheim that will test both Roberto De Zerbi’s plans and his squad’s depth.

The Bundesliga side visit the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium today, before the same teams quietly do it all again less than 24 hours later in a behind-closed-doors game at Hotspur Way. Two matches, two different stages, and almost certainly two different XIs.

De Zerbi is expected to split his squad almost completely in half. Those who start or log heavy minutes at the stadium are likely to sit out Sunday, with the rest pushed into action at the training ground as the Italian drives his players towards full fitness ahead of next weekend’s Premier League kick-off. Spurs are still unbeaten in pre-season, but the rhythm has not been entirely smooth: a 1-1 draw with Getafe in a 70-minute, closed-door friendly last Saturday checked their momentum.

That Getafe game only told part of the story. New signings Mateus Fernandes and Marcos Senesi, among others left out of the initial friendly, were sent into an in-house match later the same day to top up minutes. Even with two separate fixtures and a churn of lineups, the absentees list stayed stubbornly long — and that is where De Zerbi’s concerns lie as the real stuff looms.

Key Absentees

James Maddison remains the headline omission. In the frame to inherit the captain’s armband once Cristian Romero completes his move to Atletico Madrid, the playmaker has yet to play a single minute in pre-season. Spurs are refusing to rush him as he continues his recovery from the anterior cruciate ligament injury that wiped out most of his last campaign. The caution is deliberate. The clock, though, is ticking.

Micky van de Ven is another notable name missing from De Zerbi’s plans so far. Fresh from signing a lucrative new contract and also viewed as a captaincy candidate, the defender has not featured since returning from extended post-World Cup leave. There is no clarity yet on whether he is carrying a fitness issue, but De Zerbi will be desperate to involve him in some capacity across the Hoffenheim double-header.

Returning Players

One World Cup winner is expected to be back in the thick of it. Pedro Porro received a guard of honour from teammates on his return to the training ground this week and should now be available. At 26 and tied down to a new long-term deal in June, he is set to be a central figure in De Zerbi’s blueprint and the undisputed first-choice right-back. That status is only strengthened by Djed Spence’s looming exit to Inter Milan.

Spence will not be involved against Hoffenheim as his move progresses, and nor will current captain Romero, who is in Madrid undergoing a medical before sealing his switch to Atletico. Two defenders heading out, two leadership candidates yet to kick a ball in pre-season: the shape of De Zerbi’s back line for the opener is still anything but settled.

Attacking Options

There is, at least, a flicker of attacking encouragement. Mohammed Kudus could feature for the first time since January after returning to full-team training following a serious quad injury. Spurs are handling him carefully this time. De Zerbi has already admitted the club rushed Kudus back earlier in the year, only for the forward to suffer a setback in April.

Now comes the balancing act: minutes without risk, sharpness without strain, and a squad still in flux trying to find its edge with the Premier League just days away.