During his Friday news conference, Tottenham Hotspur manager Roberto de Zerbi revealed the details on a trio of injuries: Micky van de Ven, Pedro Porro and Pape Matar Sarr. Given how the Premier League season opener turned out (they lost 3-0 to Brentford FC), it was clear that Spurs could have used their captain and vice-captain in the team.
Carabao Cup Second Round
Southern Section
Tottenham Hotspur vs Charlton Athletic
Kickoff: Wed. Aug 26, 7:45pm, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, UK
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Spurs Team News
Tottenham was missing their team leaders, and this lack of leadership was obvious on the pitch. Sarr picked up a hamstring injury during the week leading up to the London derby season opener, with De Zerbi describing it as “nothing serious, but we don’t take risks.”
He might be ready for the next match, another London derby, this time in the Carabao Cup against Charlton Athletic.
Yes, Spurs have their first league cup match on tap already, and it’s a second round affair against a Championship level side.
Doubtful that Sarr would feature here in a match of this sort, even if passed fit. Ditto for Van de Ven, of whom De Zerbi said the following on Friday:
“Today, he worked the group, and he is going very well…He suffered a problem during the pre-season of Australia, I don’t know if it was the flight, but not a big problem.”
Porro, like Van de Ven, has an unspecified/undisclosed issue. All three should fit for next weekend, the league home opener versus Newcastle United.
The Spurs boss is unlikely to feature any of the trio in a match like this, against lower tier competition. De Zerbi also gave an update on one of the team’s best players from last season: “Kudus is almost ready.”
Mohammed Kudus has been dealing with a thigh injury, and perhaps he could be in the mix for next weekend.
If not, perhaps the week after that. And then finally, Wilson Odobert, Xavi Simons and Dejan Kulusevski all remain sidelined as longer-term injury absentees.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, Ratings and RG. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.