The lead Tottenham Hotspur news story of the day is, of course, the exit agreements for Cristian Romero (to Atletico Madrid ) and Djed Spence (to Inter Milan). And we covered that in the previous post. As the weekend now draws closer, it’s time to look ahead to the next friendly, and this time, it’s friendlies, plural.
Yes, Tottenham will be hosting German side STG Hoffenheim 1899 for not just one, but two practice games this weekend. There is one exhibition match in front of spectators at the stadium on Saturday. Then comes another preseason game, this one behind closed doors, on Sunday.
Tottenham Hotspur vs TSG Hoffenheim 1899
Preseason Club Friendlies
First one: Sat. Aug. 15, 3pm BST, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Second one: Sun. Aug. 16, Time TBD, Behind Closed Doors
Tottenham Preview Material: More on the Departures of Cristian Romero and Djed Spence
Spurs Team News
Having two matches, one public and the other one private, provides manager Roberto de Zerbi with the chance to rotate his squad and get extra playing time for more players. So that said, we’re going to predict what the first team, best XI might be as of right now, given the current availability situations.
Xavi Simons and Wilson Odobert are continuing their rehabilitation from long-term injury recovery. Dejan Kulusevski is kind of in the same boat, but much closer than the other two towards making a return. Mo Kudus is nearing a return, but likely won’t be risked here.
Mateus Fernandes and James Maddison probably won’t be risked on the weekend either, and we’ll just have to wait and see on Micky van de Ven.
Predicted Starting XI
Antonin Kinsky; Archie Gray, Ben Davies, Jan Paul van Hecke, Andy Robertson; Sandro Tonali, Lucas Bergvall; Conor Gallagher, Mikey Moore, Mathys Tel; Richarlison
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.