Spurs Prepare for Getafe Friendly Ahead of Premier League Season

Tottenham slip back behind the gates of Hotspur Way on Saturday, out of sight but very much in tune with the growing noise around their season.

Getafe are the visitors for a behind-closed-doors friendly that feels far more like a working session than a spectacle. No crowds, no fanfare, just Roberto De Zerbi, his staff and a squad being pushed towards Premier League tempo with Brentford looming in two weeks.

From Down Under to the grind

Spurs return to north London with confidence intact after a productive tour of New Zealand and Australia, capped by a dramatic 2-1 win over Chelsea. That game, snatched at the death by Richarlison’s last-gasp strike despite Kevin Danso’s red card, underlined a growing edge in this group: they stay in games, even when stretched.

Four games unbeaten in pre-season is a useful platform, but De Zerbi knows the gloss of July and early August can fade quickly once the real thing starts. This Getafe fixture is about tightening screws, not polishing highlights.

The Italian has spent the summer walking a fine line. Spurs’ campaign fell apart under the weight of injuries last season, and he has refused to be drawn into short-term gambles just to win friendlies. The caution has been deliberate, and at times frustrating, but it is rooted in the scars of last year.

Injury shadows and selection puzzles

The list of absentees remains a nagging concern.

Destiny Udogie and James Maddison have yet to kick a ball in pre-season. Maddison, battling a hip problem, is now in a race against the clock to be ready for Brentford. Udogie’s absence has deprived Spurs of their first-choice left-sided outlet, a key component of De Zerbi’s 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 recovery runs are central to how high Spurs can hold their line, so every missed minute matters, even in August.

Dominic Solanke, by contrast, has just stepped onto the summer stage. He picked up his first minutes against Chelsea and will look to sharpen his understanding with those around him in the Getafe game. For a centre-forward, these closed-door fixtures can be gold: no cameras, no noise, just repetition and rhythm.

There is at least one positive on the fitness front. Mateus Fernandes, the £85million signing, is back in training after a calf issue kept him out of the last two matches. He is expected to be in contention on Saturday, a significant boost as De Zerbi tries to bed in a revamped midfield.

Long roads back for Kudus and Kulusevski

At Hotspur Way this week, the sight of Mohammed Kudus and Dejan Kulusevski running together offered a rare jolt of optimism.

Kudus has been out since January with a serious quad injury. Now he is back working with the main group, edging towards full fitness. Even so, involvement against Getafe looks unlikely; Spurs will not rush a player who could transform their attacking options once the season settles.

Kulusevski’s road is even longer. The Swedish playmaker has not played for over a year after a patella injury in May 2025. Spurs are treating his recovery with extreme care. He is still not in full team training and remains some distance from a return to competitive action. For now, his presence on the grass is symbolic rather than tactical.

Those images of the pair running are important, though. They hint at depth that could arrive just when the schedule starts to bite.

Building chemistry behind closed doors

For De Zerbi, this Getafe test is about more than minutes. After a heavy summer of spending, relationships need to form quickly.

The likely line-up reflects that priority: Kinsky in goal, a back line of Gray, Van de Ven, Van Hecke and Robertson, Fernandes and Tonali anchoring midfield, with Williams-Barnett, Gallagher and Tel supporting Solanke. It is a side built to resemble something close to what Spurs might field in competitive action, injuries permitting.

The manager wants patterns, not just fitness. He wants Tonali dictating tempo, Fernandes knitting phases together, Solanke linking and finishing. He wants Van de Ven stepping out with conviction, full-backs knowing when to surge and when to sit. All of that is easier to drill without the distractions of a crowd.

Doubts remain over Maddison, Udogie and Kudus, and that uncertainty will shape how much De Zerbi shows his hand. The temptation to hold something back before Brentford will be strong.

The run-in to Brentford

Kick-off is set for 3pm BST on Saturday, August 8, 2026, with the match streamed on SPURSPLAY. After Getafe, Spurs face Bundesliga side Hoffenheim in a double-header next weekend, the final tune-up before the Premier League curtain rises away at Brentford.

By then, De Zerbi will hope the injury list is shorter, the understanding sharper, the noise around Spurs matched by something more tangible on the pitch.

Behind closed doors at Hotspur Way, that work starts to look very real.