Spurs Prepare for New Season with Behind-Closed-Doors Test Against Getafe

Tottenham are home again. The long-haul miles to New Zealand and Australia are in the legs, the jet lag is easing, and this afternoon at Hotspur Way the work turns quiet and serious: a behind-closed-doors test against LaLiga side Getafe, away from cameras and noise, but not away from scrutiny.

Four games unbeaten on tour, a dramatic late win over Chelsea to finish it, and a sense that Roberto De Zerbi has already put his fingerprints all over this squad. Now comes the fine-tuning.

From Down Under drama to controlled rehearsal

Spurs return from their southern swing with momentum. They finished the trip with that breathless 2-1 victory over Chelsea, Richarlison snatching it with virtually the last kick after Kevin Danso’s red card had left them playing with 10 men.

It was the sort of win that does not deliver points but does build belief. A team under strain, down a man, still forcing the issue against a rival and finding a way. De Zerbi will have liked that.

Today is a different kind of examination. No crowd, no travel, no spectacle. Just patterns, relationships, and decisions, all under the manager’s eye as the Premier League opener at Brentford, now two weeks away, looms into view.

Injury shadows and cautious calls

For all the optimism, the injury board is still too busy for De Zerbi’s liking.

Destiny Udogie and James Maddison have yet to kick a ball in pre-season. Maddison’s hip problem has become a quiet concern, with suggestions he is in a race against time to make Brentford. Udogie’s absence has been handled carefully, with the club unwilling to rush a player so central to their build-up play.

Micky van de Ven, on the verge of signing a new contract, has not featured since returning from the World Cup. His pace and aggression were fundamental to Spurs last season; his absence is a reminder of how quickly the defensive structure can fray when key pieces are missing.

Dominic Solanke, by contrast, has at least stepped onto the pitch. He earned his first minutes of the summer in that win over Chelsea, a small but important step as he settles into his new surroundings and learns De Zerbi’s demands.

The manager’s caution is understandable. Last season’s campaign came apart in large part because of injuries. Too many key players broke down, too often, and Spurs paid for it when the schedule tightened. De Zerbi has no intention of repeating that pattern.

Kudus, Kulusevski and the long road back

There was a flicker of good news at Hotspur Way this week. Mohammed Kudus and Dejan Kulusevski, both long-term absentees, were filmed running together in training, a sight that will have eased some nerves in north London.

Kudus has been missing since January with a serious quad injury, a cruel halt to a season that promised so much. Kulusevski has been out even longer, sidelined since May 2025 with a patella problem that has required patience, restraint, and careful management.

Spurs are treating the Swede with particular care. He is not yet back in full team training and remains some distance from match action. No shortcuts, no gambles.

Kudus is closer. He is already training with the group, moving with the squad again, but it still looks unlikely he will be risked against Getafe. The temptation to throw him straight in is obvious; the risk, given his lay-off, is greater.

Fernandes returns as De Zerbi eyes a stronger spine

One major piece is expected to reappear today. Mateus Fernandes, the £85million midfielder whose calf issue kept him out of the last two games, is back in training and in contention to feature.

His presence changes the feel of this Spurs side. Fernandes brings control and bite in the middle of the pitch, a fulcrum for De Zerbi’s possession-heavy approach and a shield for the back line. Getting him minutes now is essential if Spurs are to hit the ground running in two weeks.

De Zerbi’s likely selection against Getafe underlines his desire to build understanding quickly after a heavy summer of spending. A predicted XI of Kinsky; Gray, Van de Ven, Van Hecke, Robertson; Fernandes, Tonali; Williams-Barnett, Gallagher, Tel; Solanke suggests a spine that blends new signings with emerging core players.

If Van de Ven is fit enough to feature, it will be another significant step towards stability at the back. If not, his absence will again highlight how finely balanced this preparation period has become.

Quiet pitch, loud implications

Today’s game will not be broadcast beyond SPURSPLAY, and the gates at Hotspur Way will stay shut. No fanfare, no fan noise. Just a Premier League club trying to solve its problems before the real questions arrive.

Getafe will offer a different kind of test to the open, expansive games Spurs encountered on tour. LaLiga opposition tends to sit in, spoil rhythm, and punish lapses. For De Zerbi, that is useful. He needs to see how his side cope when the ball moves slower, when space is tighter, when patience is required.

After Getafe comes a double-header against Hoffenheim next weekend, the final dress rehearsals before the curtain lifts at Brentford. By then, De Zerbi will hope to have more answers on Maddison, clarity on Udogie, and perhaps a firmer idea of when Kudus and Kulusevski can be trusted again.

For now, it is about rhythm, relationships and risk management. Spurs are unbeaten in pre-season and moving in the right direction. The question is whether this careful, controlled build-up will be enough when the whistle blows for real in west London.