Football.London

The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium cost the club a whopping £1.2billion to build. The 62,850-seated arena opened in 2019 and has been the best stadium in the capital since.

The state-of-the-art stadium had been envisioned for some years, as Spurs looked to upgrade on the iconic White Hart Lane ground. Now, the multi-purpose venue is used all year round as opposed to just matchdays.

NFL games in the United Kingdom, a popular event in the country, have created new revenue streams while the F1 Karting Experience opportunity and possibility of hosting concerts in the summer have generated millions for Spurs.

According to UEFA European Club Finances and Investment report published earlier this year, Spurs are on course to have the third highest figure in terms of matchday revenue in football, above Real Madrid and behind Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona.

Despite criticism for decisions made on the pitch, Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy's tactic of maximising revenue off the pitch has worked. In August, the Haringey Council approved plans to double the number of 'major non-football events' after the stadium, meaning 30 events are now permitted to take place.

The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has become one of Europe's leading live music concern venues with Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Guns 'N' Roses and Red Hot Chili Peppers among those to perform at the venue.

Event insurance specialists Protectivity recently analysed Google reviews for the 20 Premier League stadiums to the 2024/25 season, as well as the three teams relegated last season. They looked at which stadium had the highest proportion of five-star Google reviews left by visitors.

Liverpool's Anfield ranked highest with 86.99% of reviews rated five stars. Tottenham's venue followed closely in second at 84.33% of five-star reviews, a huge 17,441 out of 20,683. Just 3.51% of reviews for the stadium were listed as one star and it scored an impressive 4.7 out of five rating overall on Google with North London rivals Arsenal beaten into fifth place.

October will see two NFL games take place as the New York Jets take on the Minnesota Vikings (6th) and the Jacksonville Jaguars facing Chicago Bears the following Sunday (13th). Imagine Dragons will perform as part of their 'Loom' World Tour in July before Catfish and the Bottlemen take the stage at the start of August.

Dejan Kulusevski's form this season should already help him into Ange Postecoglou's Tottenham team to face Arsenal on Sunday but one statistic across Europe's top leagues should reinforce that.

The 24-year-old had a terrific pre-season for Spurs, mostly playing as a false nine in the absence of fit centre-forwards at the club, but found himself on the bench for the opening draw at Leicester City in the Premier League. Kulusevski then started both of the games afterwards against Everton and Newcastle, and carried on his good form in spending long periods of both games as a deeper midfielder in a three, having started against the Toffees in that position.

Kulusevski has also enjoyed a strong international break with Sweden, chosen to captain the side by manager Jon Dahl Tomasson and leading them to 3-1 and 3-0 wins against Azerbaijan and Estonia respectively.

This Sunday Tottenham will host Arsenal in the first North London Derby of the 2024/25 season and Postecoglou has plenty of midfield options as well as attacking ones but Kulusevski is looking like his sharpest.

One key stat in the Premier League season shows just how important Kulusevski has been to Spurs over the opening three matches, for the Sweden international has made the highest number of key passes leading to a shot so far of any player this campaign across Europe's five major leagues.

Kulusevski has completed 18 key passes, one more than Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior and two more than Barcelona's Lamine Yamal. His total is four more than the next Premier League players with Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva as well as Fulham's Andreas Pereira all on 14 along with Barcelona's Pedri.

Kulusevski will be hoping to bring that creativity to the fore when Arsenal come to visit on Sunday afternoon, missing two key midfielders of their own in the suspended Declan Rice and injured Martin Odegaard.

Listen to the latest episode of Gold & Guest Talk Tottenham!Click here for in depth Spurs chat on your preferred podcast platform.

Tottenham and Arsenal are set to enter Sunday's North London Derby showdown without key names, while the Gunners are having to tackle a midfield selection crisis.

All three of Mikel Arteta's primary midfield trio are unavailable, with captain Martin Odegaard expected to be out for at least three weeks after twisting his ankle in Norway's Nations League clash with Austria on Monday. He was spotted boarding the return flight on crutches.

Arsenal had already suffered two set-backs in the role with Declan Rice suspended following his controversial red card against Brighton and Hove Albion, while summer signing Mikel Merino will be side-lined for a few weeks with a shoulder injury sustained in his first training session after joining from Real Sociedad.

Arteta might, also, have four other absentees. Another new arrival, Riccardo Calafiori, hobbled off during Italy duty in September's international break owing to a problem with his foot.

His availability for Sunday's match remains in the balance. Gabriel Jesus has missed Arsenal's last two games with a groin problem, while Takehiro Tomiyasu and Kieran Tierney are yet to return from their respective knee and muscle injuries, compounding the selection dilemma for Arteta.

Over at Tottenham, meanwhile, Ange Postecoglou might be without Micky van de Ven after the defender picked up a knee issue in the victory over Everton, which ruled him out of the defeat to Newcastle United just before the international break took place.

Updates on him and Dominic Solanke, who has missed the last two games due to his ankle injury, are expected in Friday's pre-match press conference. Further information may also be given on Richarlison, yet to start this season.

The Brazilian also missed the clash against Newcastle, while Yves Bissouma is a fresh concern after picking up a knock after scoring the winner Mali's 1-0 win vs Eswatini. Meanwhile, it was announced on Tuesday that Rodrigo Bentancur has been charged by the FA after comments he made involving Spurs teammate Son Heung-min.

Bentancur may also receive a lengthy ban for his comments, with FA rules indicating a range of six to 12 weeks for "almost all acts of discrimination by individual participants". He's poised to be available this Sunday, with the player then being able to appeal the charge until next Thursday (September 19).

Ange Postecglou could be dealt with a worst-case scenario if Rodrigo Bentancur is punished by the FA following comments he made earlier this year relating to Tottenham teammate Son Heung-min. The Uruguay international was charged with an alleged breach of rules on Thursday.

If upheld, the 27-year-old could be banned for as many as 12 matches. In an interview shown in June conducted by Uruguayan TV, Bentancue is asked: "Can you get me the shirt from the Korean?" to which Bentancur replied "Sonny?" and the journalist said "Or any other champion?" Bentancur then responded: "Or any cousin of Sonny, they all look more or less the same!" to which the reporter replied "Yes, of course!!"

The FA write in a statement that Benatcur "acted in an improper manner and/or used abusive and/or insulting words and/or brought the game into disrepute." It continues to say that, "It’s further alleged that this constitutes an 'aggravated breach' which is defined in FA Rule E3.2, as it included a reference, whether express or implied, to nationality and/or race and/or ethnic origin. Rodrigo Bentancur has until Thursday 19 September 2024 to provide a response to this charge."

Bentancur can play in the meantime for Tottenham, with the headline match against Arsenal in the North London Derby to come on Sunday. He will also be available for the Carabao Cup third round tie against Coventry on Wednesday, September 18.

Should the FA choose to sanction Bentancur, it could leave Postecoglou without one his key players for up to 12 games, football.london understands. Match-based sanctions are recommended to be between six to 12 games for most aggravated breaches, especially as a first offence.

Bentancur can still deny the charge, but if he accepts then the commission will decide what punishment is necessary. He is already serving a ban from international football following the Copa America semi-final against Columbia over the summer.

For Tottenham, this may well benefit them in the short term as his load is managed following a season of injuries. However, there are some big games coming up.

Although possible dates are unknown, if he was to be banned from September 19 onward the next six domestic games would include the visit of Brentford to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, a visit to Old Trafford, and a trip to Brighton. Spurs also then host West Ham, face Crystal Palace at Selhurt Park, and then welcome Aston Villa to north London.

Should a punishment be given, this would be the best-case scenario, although Tottenham could also have a Carabao Cup fourth-round and quarter-final in there as well which would be the seventh and eighth matches towards the ban. In a worst-case picture, Bentancur would also be ineligible for matches against Ipswich and Fulham (home), as well as Manchester City and Bournemouth (away).

In the middle, Spurs also have Europa League group phase matches to play. Bentancur would be available to feature in these games which includes home ties against Qarabag, AZ Alkmaar, and Roma, with away games at Ferencvaros and Galatasaray.

Postecoglou's other midfield options in the potential absence of Bentancur includes Pape Matar Sarr and Yves Bissouma in the deeper roles. James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski have also been used as attacking No.8s.

Listen to the latest episode of Gold & Guest Talk Tottenham! Click here for in depth Spurs chat on your preferred podcast platform.

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy is set to speak alongside Ange Postecoglou to the club's supporters at a Q&A event at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this month.

Following in the footsteps of a similar event last year, Tottenham have confirmed they will be holding a fans' forum at their ground on Monday, September 23 with a panel including Levy, Ange Postecoglou and Tottenham Hotspur Women's head coach Robert Vilahamn as well as both team captains Son Heung-min and Bethany England.

More than 3,300 applications to attend the event have already been received from different sections of the fanbase, with men and women's season ticket holders, One Hotspur members, premium members and official supporters' club members all invited to apply as well as an allocation of spaces to members of the Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust, Proud Lilywhites, Spurs REACH, SpursAbility and Women of the Lane.

Of those thousands of applicants, a ballot was run to determine the 275 who will attend on the evening. Those successful have been contacted and now have the opportunity to submit questions to the panellists. As with last year, a number of successful applicants will also receive a 'Golden Ticket', giving them access to an autograph opportunity with the panellists following the Q&A session.

The 90-minute Q&A will be hosted once again by BBC broadcaster and Spurs fan, Nihal Arthanayake, with questions taken from the floor during the night. The club plan to make highlights from the event available for fans to view free-to-air via SpursPlay and YouTube.

Listen to the latest episode of Gold & Guest Talk Tottenham!Click here for in depth Spurs chat on your preferred podcast platform.

Tottenham midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur could face a ban of between six and 12 matches if his FA charge over comments made in an interview about team-mate Son Heung-min is upheld.

In an interview broadcast earlier this summer, the Spurs midfielder attempted to make a joke when a reporter asked for a shirt from one of his team-mates. The journalist asked: "Can you get me the shirt from the Korean?" to which Bentancur asked "Sonny?" and the journalist said "Or any other champion?" Bentancur replied: "Or any cousin of Sonny, they all look more or less the same!" to which the reporter replied "Yes, of course!!"

A statement from the FA on Thursday read: "Rodrigo Bentancur has been charged with an alleged breach of FA Rule E3 for misconduct in relation to a media interview. It’s alleged that the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder has breached FA Rule E3.1 as he acted in an improper manner and/or used abusive and/or insulting words and/or brought the game into disrepute.

"It’s further alleged that this constitutes an “aggravated breach” which is defined in FA Rule E3.2, as it included a reference, whether express or implied, to nationality and/or race and/or ethnic origin. Rodrigo Bentancur has until Thursday 19 September 2024 to provide a response to this charge."

While Bentancur can play in the mean time, after speaking to the FA football.london understands that match-based sanctions of six to 12 games are recommended to regulatory commissions for almost all 'aggravated breaches' of FA Rule E3 that are a first offence by individual participants.

The Spurs midfielder has the opportunity to accept or deny the charge. If he accepts, the commission will go on to decide on sanction or sanctions. If Bentancur denies it, the commission will decide whether to uphold or dismiss the charge, and if the former they would also decide the sanction or sanctions.

Bentancur is currently serving a four-match ban from international football after being sanctioned by CONMEBOL following the scenes after July’s heated Copa America semi-final tie against Colombia, in which he was seen to throw bottles into the crowd. He was also handed a $16,000 (£12,000) fine for his part in the scenes.

Bentancur's comments before that tournament regarding Son sparked outrage within the Korean community and outside of it, and Kick It Out, the organisation which seeks to end racism and discrimination in sport, said then that it had "received a significant number of reports about Rodrigo Bentancur's comments regarding his Tottenham team-mate Son Heung-min. These reports have already been sent to the club and relevant authorities. We recognise Bentancur has acknowledged the offence caused, however it highlights a wider issue that heavily affects East Asian and wider communities. We’ll be seeking to address these broader issues in the coming season".

Bentancur posted two apologies on Instagram after the interview, the second of which said: "I would like to communicate to all fans and everyone who follows us that after my interview where I referred to Son and no one else, I have spoken to him and, logically given our deep friendship, he understands it was only an unfortunate misunderstanding. All has been clarified and solved with my friend.

"If someone felt offended because of my words through this media tool I would like to offer my sincere apologies. But I also would like you to know that never, never I referred to anyone else. Only to Son and for that reason I’ve never had the intention to offend directly or indirectly anyone. A big hug and all my respect to everyone."

Son responded back then with his own statement on the matter in an Instagram Story post, saying: "I've spoken with Lolo. He made a mistake, he knows this and has apologised. Lolo would not mean to ever intentionally say something offensive. We are brothers and nothing has changed at all. We're past this, we're united, and we will be back together in pre season to fight for our club as one. Sonny."

Spurs also released a statement that day, saying: "Following a comment from Rodrigo Bentancur in an interview video clip and the player’s subsequent public apology, the club has been providing assistance in ensuring a positive outcome on the matter. This will include further education for all players in line with our diversity, equality and inclusion objectives.

"We fully support that our captain Sonny feels that he can draw a line under the incident and that the team can focus on the new season ahead. We are extremely proud of our diverse, global fanbase and playing squads. Discrimination of any kind has no place at our club, within our game or within wider society."

Listen to the latest episode of Gold & Guest Talk Tottenham!Click here for in depth Spurs chat on your preferred podcast platform.

Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur has been charged by the FA over his comments regarding Son Heung-min following a controversial interview this summer.

During a televised interview ahead of the Copa America, the Spurs midfielder attempted to make a joke when a reporter asked for a shirt from one of his team-mates. The reporter asked: "Can you get me the shirt from the Korean?" to which Bentancur asked "Sonny?" and the journalist said "Or any other champion?". Bentancur replied: "Or any cousin of Sonny, they all look more or less the same!" to which the reporter replied "Yes, of course!!"

A statement from the FA on Thursday read: "Rodrigo Bentancur has been charged with an alleged breach of FA Rule E3 for misconduct in relation to a media interview.

"It’s alleged that the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder has breached FA Rule E3.1 as he acted in an improper manner and/or used abusive and/or insulting words and/or brought the game into disrepute.

"It’s further alleged that this constitutes an “aggravated breach” which is defined in FA Rule E3.2, as it included a reference, whether express or implied, to nationality and/or race and/or ethnic origin.

"Rodrigo Bentancur has until Thursday 19 September 2024 to provide a response to this charge."

Bentancur's comment was taken as a racial slur and sparked outrage throughout the Korean community and outside of it, and Kick It Out, the organisation which seeks to end racism and discrimination in sport, said at the time that it had "received a significant number of reports about Rodrigo Bentancur's comments regarding his Tottenham team-mate Son Heung-min.

"These reports have already been sent to the club and relevant authorities. We recognise Bentancur has acknowledged the offence caused, however it highlights a wider issue that heavily affects East Asian and wider communities. We’ll be seeking to address these broader issues in the coming season".

While Bentancur can play in the mean time, after speaking to the FA football.london understands that match-based sanctions of six to 12 games are recommended to regulatory commissions for almost all 'aggravated breaches' of FA Rule E3 that are a first offence by individual participants.

The Spurs midfielder has the opportunity to accept or deny the charge. If he accepts, the commission will go on to decide on sanction or sanctions. If Bentancur denies it, the commission will decide whether to uphold or dismiss the charge, and if the former they would also decide the sanction or sanctions.

Bentancur posted two apologies on Instagram in the days after the interview, the second of which read: "I would like to communicate to all fans and everyone who follows us that after my interview where I referred to Son and no one else, I have spoken to him and, logically given our deep friendship, he understands it was only an unfortunate misunderstanding. All has been clarified and solved with my friend.

"If someone felt offended because of my words through this media tool I would like to offer my sincere apologies. But I also would like you to know that never, never I referred to anyone else. Only to Son and for that reason I’ve never had the intention to offend directly or indirectly anyone. A big hug and all my respect to everyone."

Son had responded with his own statement on the matter in an Instagram Story post, saying: "I've spoken with Lolo. He made a mistake, he knows this and has apologised. Lolo would not mean to ever intentionally say something offensive. We are brothers and nothing has changed at all.

"We're past this, we're united, and we will be back together in pre season to fight for our club as one. Sonny."

Spurs also released a statement that same day, saying: "Following a comment from Rodrigo Bentancur in an interview video clip and the player’s subsequent public apology, the club has been providing assistance in ensuring a positive outcome on the matter. This will include further education for all players in line with our diversity, equality and inclusion objectives.

"We fully support that our captain Sonny feels that he can draw a line under the incident and that the team can focus on the new season ahead. We are extremely proud of our diverse, global fanbase and playing squads. Discrimination of any kind has no place at our club, within our game or within wider society."

Bentancur is currently serving a four-match ban from international football after being sanctioned by CONMEBOL following the scenes after July’s heated Copa America semi-final tie against Colombia, in which he was seen to throw bottles into the crowd. He was also handed a $16,000 (£12,000) fine for his part in the scenes.

Listen to the latest episode of Gold & Guest Talk Tottenham! Click here for in depth Spurs chat on your preferred podcast platform.

Arsenal take on Tottenham in the North London Derby this Sunday with an opportunity to win a third-straight away clash between the sides on enemy soil for the first time since the 1980s. Arsenal have scored five and conceded just two in the last two meetings at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium but without Declan Rice who is suspended and perhaps Martin Odegaard who suffered an ankle injury with Norway it could be an even tougher challenge than before.

News of Odegaard’s injury is still awaiting confirmation with Mikel Arteta due to speak to the media on Friday ahead of the derby. Yet despite the persistent bad news that continues to pile on for supporters, there are positive signs going into the weekend and the weeks ahead.

Arsenal’s next three games include the derby followed by two more away trips to Atalanta and Manchester City. Three games in quick succession and they will test the depth of the squad.

Coming through any run such as this can, however, be a massive boost and winning a derby can provide all the momentum to head into the toughest away game of the season. Once done, Arsenal will have seen through Villa, Spurs and City before the end of September, setting up the remaining 30-plus games in the knowledge that the majority of the trickiest tests are now behind them.

Of course, Anfield and Old Trafford are still to come, but the records at Villa Park, Tottenham and the Etihad Stadium are some of Arsenal’s worst. While a challenge, it should be seen as a great opportunity to overcome and send a message to the rest of the league.

City themselves have some challenges of their own to overcome which will be another benefit to the Gunners. Nathan Ake suffered what looked to be a serious muscular problem in the Netherlands' 2-2 draw with Germany that has a good chance of seeing him miss the visit of Arsenal next week.

While Arsenal take on Spurs, Man City have the benefit of playing at home. However, their opponents are a Brentford side who under Thomas Frank are no strangers to winning in Manchester.

In the 2022/23 season, the Bees managed to do the double over the champions, winning 2-1 away from home with a dramatic late winner and followed it up with a 1-0 win in May after Pep Guardiola’s side had already won the league. Bryan Mbeumo and company sit sixth in the league after a strong start with the Cameroon international comfortably filling the void left by the now-sold Ivan Toney.

As long as Arsenal beat Spurs, they will have a chance to overtake City in the league next weekend – or extend a lead should Brentford pull off another surprise. However, any points dropped could see the gap open to as much as eight points after just five games as the stakes remain exceptionally high.

Former Spurs midfielder Adel Taarabt has previously stated that he wished he would have signed for Arsenal instead of Tottenham.

The gifted Moroccan made the switch to White Hart Lane in January 2007 at just 17 years old, initially on loan, before securing a permanent move. Despite being handed a major opportunity by Spurs, his career didn't quite ignite, as he only made 15 appearances across nearly three seasons before moving to QPR in 2009.

Taarabt has since reflected on his time at Tottenham, acknowledging the chance he was given but also revealing his yearning for Arsenal, particularly due to the allure of their "legendary" manager Arsene Wenger. While appreciative of his first English club, the now 35-year-old suggested that Tottenham wasn't as inclined to give young talents ample playing time, contrasting with what he perceived as a more suitable "mentality" at Arsenal.

"I signed for Tottenham, but I wanted to sign for Arsenal and Arsene Wenger, the legendary Frenchman," Taarabt said in a conversation with The National earlier this year. "But [Spurs' then director of football] Damian Comolli wanted me to go to Tottenham. He told me he was creating something. Gareth Bale arrived at the same time as me, Kyle Walker soon after - It was a good club, but not one that gave young players many chances."

Often labelled a maverick in his fluctuating career, Taarabt made his mark as an enigmatic talent capable of altering the course of a match instantly. Despite his stints at a total of eight different clubs, including the likes of Lens, QPR, Fulham, AC Milan, Benfica, Genoa, and Al Nassr, he has only surpassed 50 appearances for three teams, reports the Mirror.

The former Benfica maestro, once likened to Zidane in his early years, ultimately found his name in a Premier League XI highlighting 'wasted potential' due to underwhelming exploits. He was also met with criticism for his percieved substandard commitment.

Reflecting on his spell in London, Taarabt also opened up about the challenge of acclimatising to England and how being among high-profile players affected his self-assurance. He suggested Arsenal, with its French connections and ethos, might have been a better fit for him.

"London was a culture shock for me," he said. "In France, I was the next Zidane. At Spurs, I was nobody in a dressing room full of big names: Robbie Keane, [Dimitar] Berbatov, Edgar Davids."

The ex-Benfica star admitted to feeling ordinary within such company and confided that his self-worth might have thrived in the Gunners' Gallic atmosphere, stating: "I didn't feel special because I wasn't, but I feel it would have been much easier for me at Arsenal with more of the French tradition and mentality."

His challenges ran deeper than just football, as Taarabt also spoke of a yearning to return to France mere months after joining Spurs, hindered by London's dreary winters and a language barrier, adding: "People told me London is beautiful but it's dark and rainy at 3.30pm in the winter. I didn't speak English, it was hard."

Despite appearing nonchalant about his time in England, he surprisingly hailed his switch to Spurs' London adversaries QPR as the pinnacle of his career choices. The Moroccan international was instrumental in the R's ascent to the Premier League in 2011, racking up 164 appearances and netting 34 goals for the club.

"The best decision I made," he said on his move to The Hoops. "I needed to play football, not just train. At QPR I got the love, and if you show me love then I want to give you more love."

Listen to the latest episode of Gold & Guest Talk Tottenham! Click here for in depth Spurs chat on your preferred podcast platform.

Paul Merson believes Arsenal's dream of winning the Premier League could be over if they don't pick up a healthy amount of points against Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City in the coming weeks.

The Gunners make the short trip to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday afternoon for the first North London derby of the season before locking horns with Manchester City at the Etihad seven days later.

To make matters worse, Mikel Arteta is set to be without captain Martin Odegaard for Sunday's clash in North London after the midfielder was injured in Norway's 2-1 win over Austria on Tuesday. Declan Rice will also miss Sunday's game as he serves a one-match suspension for his sending off against Brighton & Hove Albion last time out.

And Merson, who won two First Division titles and an FA Cup during his time as a Gunners, believes his former club could be in danger of being cut adrift from the title race if they don't take at least four points from the next two games.

"Arsenal's Premier League season all comes down to the next two games against Tottenham and Man City. They need four points. It's as simple as that," wrote Merson in his Sky Sports column. "If they get anything less, then you start to worry because you're playing catch-up against a machine in Man City.

"If they draw against Spurs and lose at Man City a week later, they're probably going to be seven points behind and I think that would be it. I know there are 30-odd games left but I just can't see how they make up the seven points.

"I was very bullish last year saying Arsenal would definitely win the North London Derby but I'm not so sure this season - and it's a game they can't afford to lose in the title race."

Arsenal are currently third in the Premier League, sitting two points behind Liverpool and Manchester City after a 1-1 draw with Brighton last month.