Tottenham's Pre-Season Fitness Test Against Hoffenheim

Tottenham step up their pre-season preparations this weekend with a double-header against Hoffenheim that will stretch Roberto De Zerbi’s squad to its limits and shine a light on some worrying absences.

Two games, two XIs, one big fitness test

Hoffenheim visit the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium today, then the two clubs do it all again less than 24 hours later in a behind-closed-doors fixture at Hotspur Way. De Zerbi is expected to roll out almost entirely different starting lineups for each match, using the mini-series as a final fitness drill before the Premier League kicks off next weekend.

Those who feature heavily today are likely to be spectators tomorrow. Those who sit out or play only cameo roles in the stadium clash should get their minutes in the training-ground rematch.

Tottenham arrive at this stage unbeaten in pre-season, but the mood is not entirely carefree. Their last outing, a 70-minute behind-closed-doors game against Getafe, ended in a 1-1 draw and underlined that there is still sharpness to find and problems to solve.

Some of the players who did not feature against Getafe — including new signings Mateus Fernandes and Marcos Senesi — were pushed through an in-house friendly later that same day, another sign of De Zerbi’s determination to squeeze every possible minute of conditioning out of this final week.

Maddison, Van de Ven and the captaincy question

For all the planning, the absentees are hard to ignore.

James Maddison, firmly in the frame to inherit the armband once Cristian Romero completes his move to Atletico Madrid, has yet to play a single minute in pre-season. Spurs are treading carefully as he continues his recovery from the anterior cruciate ligament injury that wiped out most of his last campaign.

The club are not rushing him. They cannot afford to. But every game he misses tightens the timeline before competitive football returns.

Micky van de Ven, another leading candidate for the captaincy and fresh from signing a lucrative new contract, has also been conspicuous by his absence. Since returning from extended leave after the World Cup, he has not been used by De Zerbi.

There is no clarity yet on whether Van de Ven is dealing with a specific fitness issue, but De Zerbi will want him involved in some capacity this weekend. A new contract, a leadership role looming, and no minutes yet: it is not the ideal build-up.

Porro’s guard of honour and a changing back line

There is better news on the right flank. World Cup winner Pedro Porro is expected to be available after receiving a guard of honour from team-mates on his return to the training ground this week.

The 26-year-old, who signed a new long-term deal in June, is set to be a central figure in De Zerbi’s plans. He will go into the season as the undisputed first-choice right-back, a status strengthened by Djed Spence’s impending departure to Inter Milan.

Spence will not be involved against Hoffenheim as he finalises that move. Nor will Romero, the current captain, who is in Madrid for a medical ahead of joining Atletico. Two defenders edging out the door, one locked in as a cornerstone, and a possible future captain still waiting to kick a ball: the shape of Spurs’ back line is changing fast.

Kudus on the brink of a long-awaited return

Further forward, there is cautious optimism around Mohammed Kudus.

The forward has not played since January after suffering a serious quad injury, but he has now returned to full-team training. De Zerbi has admitted the club mishandled his initial comeback, rushing him back only for Kudus to suffer a setback in April.

This time the approach is more measured. There is hope he can feature in some form over the Hoffenheim double-header, even if only for a short spell. Any appearance would mark an important step in restoring one of Spurs’ most dynamic attacking options.

A final audition before the real thing

Across two games in two days, De Zerbi will learn plenty: who is ready, who is short, and who he can trust when the Premier League whistle blows next weekend.

The unbeaten record in pre-season is a nice line on paper. The real story sits with Maddison’s knee, Van de Ven’s absence, Kudus’s quad and Porro’s elevation. By the time Hoffenheim leave town, Tottenham should have a much clearer picture of what kind of shape they are truly in — and who will be leading them out when the season starts for real.