The New York Times

Paris Saint-Germain have added the UEFA Super Cup to their 2025 trophy haul, beating Tottenham Hotspur on penalties after a 2-2 draw in 90 minutes.

Before the game, some had wondered if Spurs would be blown away by PSG like Inter had been in May’s Champions League final, but it quickly became clear that Thomas Frank had set up his new team in a typically robust formation, with three centre-halves and two mobile wing-backs. The approach ceded the ball to the Ligue 1 side but they were unable to do very much with it. Tottenham, meanwhile, looked dangerous on the break — with Richarlison and Mohammed Kudus linking well up front.

The opening goal was almost pure Brentford in its construction. A Guglielmo Vicario indirect free kick was recycled in the penalty area, and after a Palhinha shot was tipped onto the bar by Lucas Chevalier, Micky van de Ven followed up to give Spurs a surprise — but fully deserved — lead. The Champions League winners trudged in at half-time without having generated a single shot on target, only the fifth time that has happened in the Luis Enrique era.

Within three minutes of the restart, Spurs were 2-0 up. Another indirect free kick, another header at the back post, and this time Cristian Romero’s effort squirmed over Chevalier’s fingers. But PSG inevitably grew into the game as the second half progressed, and had a goal disallowed for offside after 66 minutes. Enrique’s side continued to press in the closing stages and finally broke through in the 85th minute via a driven finish from Lee Kang-in.

It made for a nervy denouement for the Spurs fans and their worst fears were realised when a Dembele cross was headed home by Goncalo Ramos in injury time. That took the match to penalties, and though Vitinha missed PSG’s first, the Parisians were flawless after that, with misses from Van de Ven and Mathys Tel proving terminal for Tottenham.

Jack Pitt-Brooke, Elias Burke and Conor O’Neill analyse the game.

What does this result mean for Spurs?

Adding more silverware to a club that has been starved of it for so long is important, and the Spurs players’ dejected faces as they watched PSG celebrate with their fans on the pitch at the end of the game demonstrated just how close they were to adding a second trophy to their cabinet in three months.

Still, Frank should take encouragement from his side’s performance against the European champions in his first competitive match in charge.

Sure, Spurs were unable to weather the late spell of pressure, but they were the better side for large parts against a team that many believe is the best in the world. Losing on penalties was a cruel end to a match where Tottenham demonstrated their potential against arguably the best football team in the world.

It’s highly unlikely they’ll line up in the same way against Burnley on Saturday, with Frank potentially reverting to the 4-2-3-1 formation with two wide forwards on either side of a striker he’s used for most of pre-season, but the players should go into that fixture with confidence.

And considering the club are actively pursuing alternatives for the injured James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski in the transfer market, the prospect of adding an attacking sprinkle to a well-drilled side should prove attractive.

Elias Burke

How did the penalty shootout play out?

It came as a universal relief to football fans when UEFA scrapped extra time from the Super Cup in 2023, with draws now going straight to penalties. Luis Enrique added further intrigue to this year’s shootout by handing new goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier his debut after freezing out Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Donnarumma is renowned for his shot-stopping — a strength that extends to penalties — most notably saving three for Italy against England in the Euro 2020 final.

Chevalier was tested first, with Tottenham opening the shootout, but Dominic Solanke coolly found the top-right corner after a short run-up. Vitinha then stepped up for PSG, and took a similarly odd run-up — this time a no-look stutter — but this time the results were disastrous, as he fired wide.

Bentancur and Ramos then both smashed their efforts home, as Tottenham took a 2-1 lead early on. But then Chevalier showed his potential to fill Donnarumma’s void, smothering a tame effort by Van den Ven. Dembele coolly restored parity after.

Mathys Tel’s wayward effort mirrored Vitinha’s, again a stilted run-up fired wide, this time to the left, before Lee gave PSG the lead for the first time. Porro then coolly converted to ensure PSG needed to score their final penalty to win it.

Nuno Mendes duly obliged, though, with a confident effort down the middle, capping off his side’s remarkable comeback.

Conor O’Neill

In praise of Tottenham’s new pragmatism

The single most impressive thing about Tottenham Hotspur for much of this evening was the amazing pragmatism and intelligence and nous about how they played. This was Thomas Frank’s first competitive game in charge and he unveiled a 3-5-2 system unlike anything we saw from them in recent years.

It was a plan perfectly calibrated to maximise Spurs’ strengths but also to compromise PSG’s. The two wing-backs, Djed Spence and Pedro Porro, shackled PSG’s two full-backs Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes, never allowing them to stretch the play and dominate Spurs.

Tottenham consistently made the middle of the pitch difficult to break through and were always able to break with pace down the middle, thanks to Mohammad Kudus and Richarlison. And best of all Spurs were ruthlessly effective from set pieces, scoring twice from clever moves.

In one sense, it felt different from what we saw from Spurs in recent years. That view may not be entirely fair: it was Ange Postecoglou’s pragmatism in the Europa League campaign that won Spurs that trophy, and that got them into this game in the first place.

But they did not always come into big games against superior opposition with a method to nullify them. That is what we saw from Tottenham this evening, a bespoke plan deployed to perfection for the occasion.

The frustration from Spurs is that their plan ran out of steam and by 70 or so minutes, they had nothing left in the tank. Their pragmatism almost appeared limiting, as they camped in their own box, and were eventually picked off. Which shows that ultimately no game plan is entirely without flaws.

Jack Pitt-Brooke

How good were Spurs’ set pieces?

It’s unclear whether Tottenham’s counter-punching approach tonight will become Frank’s established playstyle or simply a one-off adjustment to contain one of Europe’s most potent attacking teams.

One tactical wrinkle that is likely to endure is a greater emphasis on set pieces than under his predecessor, Ange Postecoglou, who bucked Premier League trends by not employing a set-piece coach.

It paid immediate dividends tonight with both goals coming from this very avenue.

Frank highlighted this shift in focus last week when speaking to The Athletic’s Jay Harris: “Set pieces are an area I have a big belief in, and it’s hugely important, but it was not as highlighted as before, looking from the outside.”

Long throw-ins were always likely to be the first set piece in Frank’s crosshairs given how committed his previous side Brentford were to this approach, with 63 per cent of their attacking throw-ins played into the penalty area last season.

Tottenham even conducted long-throw auditions in pre-season, and it was little surprise to see Danso launching missiles into the box early on.

While those throws caused plenty of chaos, it was a routine from Frank’s free-kick playbook that produced the two goals.

Goalkeeper Vicario launched a diagonal towards Christian Romero on the left flank with his flick into the middle sparking a bout of pinball that ended with Van de Ven’s rebounded finish. Romero then got on the scoresheet himself for the second, meeting another launched diagonal with a guided header.

At Brentford, Frank often stationed an imposing centre-back — such as Nathan Collins — out wide against a lighter full-back, and he has wasted no time bringing that tactic to his new charges.

After last season’s abysmal domestic campaign, Spurs have plenty of areas to address. Set pieces offer a quick and obvious win, and, like Danso with a throw-in, Frank is seizing the opportunity with both hands.

Conor O’Neill

Why were PSG so slow to get going?

Having reached the final of the Club World Cup in mid-July, PSG only returned for pre-season training last week. Judging from their performance tonight, it’s clear they’re not quite ready for the start of the new season.

In his first competitive start between the sticks for PSG, Lucas Chevalier found opportunities to demonstrate his skill as a ball-player as Spurs’ forward line and midfield relentlessly pressed PSG’s defence. Vitinha, who so often pulls the strings for the Champions League winners at the base of midfield, found time on the ball extremely difficult to come by as Pape Matar Sarr tracked his every move.

There were moments, particularly in the first half, that PSG were able to slice through Tottenham’s wide defence with sharp passing combinations, but the Europa League champions were comfortably on top for most of the affair.

However, their late fightback to first get back on level terms through Lee Kang-in’s thunderous strike from range before Goncalo Ramos converted a header in extra time demonstrates why they’re considered among the favourites to lift the Champions League again this year.

Even after Vitinha missed the first penalty in the shootout, his team-mates displayed the composure of champions, and Chevalier proved his worth with an excellent save from Van de Ven.

Elias Burke

Spurs’ youngsters rise to the occasion — for most of the game

The fear going into this game — and this season — was that Spurs are short on quality now. Son Heung-min has gone. James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski are both recovering from knee surgery. No wonder Spurs fans are so anxious for high-grade replacements at the end of the window.

But this game showed us that Spurs have more quality than we thought. And that while Spurs are short on big names right now, they have plenty of talented young players who Frank can turn into stars.

Mohammed Kudus was electric on his Spurs debut, never letting PSG rest, brilliant at keeping the ball under pressure. He did heroically to win the free kick for Spurs’ opener. Djed Spence, who has just agreed a new improved contract, was perfect at left wing-back, shutting down Hakimi all night. Pape Matar Sarr, the furthest forward of Spurs’ three men in central midfield, grew into the game until he was radiating authority, driving Tottenham on and shutting his opponents.

Those were just three players but Richarlison, Pedro Porro and Joao Palhinha were all excellent, as were Romero and Van de Ven, the two world-class centre-backs who scored the goals. If the younger players can grow too, then maybe there is enough star quality in this team after all.

It was only the turning of the game at the end that suggested that this squad could maybe still do with some more experience, just to help them see out leads like the one they held for much of tonight’s game.

Jack Pitt-Brooke

(Top photo: Getty Images)

Champions League winners PSG rallied from 2-0 down in the 85th minute to defeat Europa League victors Spurs in Udine, Italy

PSG win UEFA Super Cup on penalties — updates and reaction

Paris Saint-Germain have beaten Tottenham Hotspur on penalties to win the 2025 UEFA Super Cup.

The European champions came from 2-0 down in the closing stages of normal time and then recovered from 2-0 down in the shootout to prevail.

Spurs looked destined for glory thanks to goals either side of half-time from Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero. But they were unable to close it out as substitutes Lee Kang-in and Goncalo Ramos sent the game to penalties.

Vitinha put PSG's first penalty wide, but his team-mates were flawless with their other four spot kicks. Van de Ven had his penalty saved and Mathys Tel missed the target.

PSG penalties scored: Ramos, Dembele, Lee, Mendes; PSG penalties missed: Vitinha.

Tottenham penalties scored: Solanke, Bentancur, Porro; Tottenham penalties missed/saved: Van de Ven, Tel.

GO FURTHER

PSG 2-2 Tottenham (4-3 pens): Spurs let 2-0 lead slip in closing stages to miss out on UEFA Super Cup

Is this the start of a PSG dynasty?

With the ease that PSG brushed aside a lot of teams in the Champions League last season, it raised the question of how they could be stopped.

And despite a brief wobble with defeat to Chelsea in the Club World Cup final and having to fight back from a two goal deficit tonight, their claim as Europe’s best team remains.

Luis Enrique has worked wonders and they will only get stronger as the season goes on. Can anyone stop them in the Champions League this season as they go in search of a second title?

Here's that winning moment!

Tottenham lose, but there are positive signs for the future

Overall my impression was that Spurs did look like they belonged back on this stage.

What they lacked in individual quality relative to PSG they made up for with intelligent planning.

Interested to see how they can replicate this in the Champions League Phase.

GO FURTHER

Tottenham Hotspur return to the biggest stage – but have they narrowed the gap on the elite?

Gianluigi who?

OK, it was not a goalkeeping masterclass in the shootout — but it was still a positive performance from Lucas Chevalier on his debut.

One penalty saved and a couple of decent stops are enough to instil confidence for any PSG fans worrying about the player they appear to be losing in Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Chevalier looked confident with his feet and certainly had no trouble keeping hold of the Super Cup trophy once he had it in his hands.

Full-time stats zone

It looks pretty even from the full-time stats but these numbers have a pretty tidy split — Spurs earned theirs in the first half, and PSG the second.

All the momentum was with the French side, and it showed.

FT: PSG 2-2 Tottenham (PSG win 4-3 on pens)

Possession %: 74 — 26

Shots: 12 — 13

On target: 3 — 5

Big chances: 1 — 1

Blocked shots: 5 — 3

Touches in opposition box: 22 — 23

Duels won: 47 — 57

Dispossessed: 9 — 6

From the mentality change Ange Postecoglou was so desperate for Spurs to enjoy in the Europa League final, it is hard not to think of this as a bit of a choke to start the Thomas Frank era.

Queen's ‘We Are The Champions’ echoes around the Udine stadium as Ousmane Dembele smiles with the trophy over his shoulder.

Photo moment: A striker's finish

Put crosses into the box and Goncalo Ramos will stick them away.

PSG looked pretty rusty for most of the match — which is understandable given they were at the Club World Cup all summer and have had no pre-season — but eventually made their status as Champions League winners felt.

Returning to a more natural formation after some changes allowed Ousmane Dembele to whip in a cross and Ramos to head home to find the equaliser and make this victory possible.

PSG lift the UEFA Super Cup!

Marquinhos roars in delight as gold and silver ticker tape streams around the PSG players.

Cristian Romero and Kevin Danso applaud forlornly, tears drifting down their cheeks, as they watch on.

And now the PSG players

Led by manager Luis Enrique.

Nuno Mendes and Vitinha kiss the sizeable silver UEFA Super Cup trophy on their way past.

Captain Marquinhos is the last player. He picks up the trophy and...

Here come the Spurs players...

...frowns written across all of their faces.

Djed Spence barely looks at UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin and immediately pulls his runners-up medal off in disdain.

Thomas Frank shakes hands with Ceferin.

Frank has plenty to be proud of

That was a really impressive performance from Tottenham, who can feel hard done by with that result after being 2-0 up.

Had there been extra time, you fancied PSG to find a winner anyway but Spurs were the better side overall tonight.

They were defensively resolute and offered plenty from set pieces — food for thought for Frank with the new Premier League season days away.

Echoing Jack's thoughts...

It's been a good summer for the stop-doing-silly-penalty-run-ups among us...

PSG shine brightly again — somehow

It’s not always easy to work out whether victory or defeat is deserved in football, and especially when it’s decided by a penalty shootout.

But it was really disappointing to see how defensive and passive Tottenham became after going 2-0 up.

As for PSG, the context of this being their first pre-season outing makes the fact they came back in the first place simply remarkable.

Luis Enrique’s changes proved his squad’s quality, with Fabian Ruiz exceptional and both Lee Kang-in and Goncalo Ramos making a significant impact off the bench.

But their work rate impressed too; their level never dropped, even when chasing two goals.

Would Gianluigi Donnarumma have saved even more of those Tottenham penalties? I reckon so — but that doesn’t matter now. It’s another brilliant night for the boys from Paris.

PSG player ratings

Here’s how we rate every PSG performance in the match:

Chevalier - 7. Mostly impressed on debut but could have done better for Spurs’ second goal. Made a decisive save in the shootout.

Hakimi - 6. Tested when Spence got forward, generally ineffective by his standards.

Marquinhos - 6. Allowed Richarlison some joy in a few first-half chances, grew into the match as his team improved.

Pacho - 7. Faced up to the challenge of Spurs’ counter-attacks well. Handled the challenges thrown at him.

Mendes - 6. Kept busy by Kudus on PSG’s left. Limited in his offensive contribution.

Vitinha - 7. Stifled by Sarr’s marking. Looked rusty after not having a pre-season but is still a class act.

Zaire-Emery - 6. Creative and grew into the game but did not offer enough.

Doue - 6. Involved in build-up play but could have offered more.

Barcola - 7. Lively but let his frustrations show as Spurs stifled his chances.

Kvaratskhelia - 6. Faced double marking by Spurs defenders so had limited influence. Frustration started to show in the second half.

Dembele - 7. Needed to drop deep to help build attacks. Was better when on the right, delivered the cross for the equaliser.

Subs:

Fabian Ruiz - 7. Needlessly offside as Barcola thought he had scored. Made a difference as PSG pushed for goals.

Lee Kang-in - 7. Clinical with the finish to give PSG a late lifeline.

Mbaye - 7. Lively when coming on, had a soft penalty shout denied.

Ramos - 7. Made a proper centre-forward’s run to score the header and level late on.

I'm fully Dean Saunders about modern penalty run-ups I'm afraid.

Just run up to the ball and take a proper penalty, please.

Tottenham's players doubled over in desolation.

Luis Enrique beaming with delight

As ‘Freed From Desire’ reverberates around the Stadio Friuli, Luis Enrique pumps his fists in front of the travelling PSG fans.

Tottenham players look distraught.

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Tottenham Hotspur are close to finalising a new deal for full-back Djed Spence.

The 25-year-old was one of the breakout stars of last season under Ange Postecoglou, and has been rewarded for his progress with a new improved contract at Spurs.

Spence still had almost three years left on his current deal, which was last extended in October 2024. Talks have moved fast this month to secure his long-term future at the club.

The full-back struggled to make in impact in his first few years at Spurs, and was written off as a “club signing” by then-head coach Antonio Conte in summer 2022 almost as soon as he arrived from Nottingham Forest.

Three loan spells followed, at Rennes, Leeds United and Genoa, with questions about his attitude and application.

But Spence was trusted by Postecoglou last season and started his first ever game for Spurs in December 2024. He quickly showed why he was such a highly-rated player, starting 19 games in all competitions.

Postecoglou used Spence at both left- and right-back, and he looked equally comfortable on either side. And given Spence’s excellent 2024-25 season, it was inevitable that Tottenham would open talks about improving his terms to secure his stay at the club.

After leaving Fulham’s academy, Spence joined Championship club Middlesbrough in 2018, making his debut in August of that year, shortly after his 18th birthday.

Spence made 70 appearances for the club before joining Nottingham Forest on loan for the 2021-22 season, becoming a key part of the team that earned promotion to the Premier League for the first time in more than 20 years.

(Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

Yves Bissouma has been left out of Tottenham Hotspur’s squad for the UEFA Super Cup final against Paris Saint-Germain due to disciplinary reasons.

Tottenham’s new head coach Thomas Frank told the media at a press conference ahead of Wednesday’s game against PSG that Bissouma has been punished for poor timekeeping.

“He has been late several times and now this latest time was one too many,” Frank said. “With everything, you need to give your players a lot of love but also have demands and there also need to be consequences and this time there was a consequence for that.

“For me, there has been a consequence and that is for this trip. I will follow up on that when I come home. I will park it for now because there is a relatively important game tomorrow.”

This is not the first time that the Mali international has been in trouble since he joined Spurs from Brighton in June 2022.

The midfielder was suspended by the club for their first game of the 2024-25 season after video footage appeared on social media that appeared to show him inhaling nitrous oxide.

Following a 2-0 defeat to Fulham in March, when Bissouma was substituted at half-time, then head coach Ange Postecoglou said that he allowed “games to drift him by.”

Bissouma started Spurs’ Europa League final victory over Manchester United in May but his future is uncertain with less than 12 months left on his contract.

Joao Palhinha’s arrival on loan from Bayern Munich only pushes Bissouma further down the pecking order and this incident will not have helped him to convince Frank he deserves an extension.

The positive news for Spurs is that Dominic Solanke is available to feature against PSG. The England international has only played once for Spurs in pre-season back on July 19 when they beat Reading 2-0.

He travelled with the squad for their pre-season tour of Hong Kong and South Korea but was unable to play due to an ankle injury. Frank said that left-back Destiny Udogie is “getting closer to training with the group” too.

Tottenham’s ‘different cat’

Analysis by Jay Harris

Bissouma will probably go down as a cult hero for a section of Tottenham’s fanbase.

The midfielder is always posting videos of himself dancing in the dressing room and cracking jokes with his team-mates. He acts like an older brother towards the young, French-speaking players in the squad including Pape Sarr, Wilson Odobert and Mathys Tel.

Former head coach Ange Postecoglou described him as a “different cat” but he delivered when it mattered in the Europa League final. Afterwards, he walked through the mixzone topless with a speaker strapped to his back while wearing sunglasses.

This latest disciplinary incident feels like the end of his time with Spurs though. You could argue that Bissouma is the most frustrating player at the club. There are moments in games when he wriggles between opposition players effortlessly and others when it feels like he is not concentrating. There is no consistency which means managers cannot rely on him.

Throw in the repeated disciplinary issues under multiple head coaches and it becomes clear that Spurs need to cut their losses. Frank’s decision to leave Bissouma at home for the Super Cup might impact the price they can ask clubs for him but it is obvious there is no place for him in this new era.

With Joao Palhinha, Lucas Bergvall, Rodrigo Bentancur, Pape Sarr and Archie Gray, Frank has more talented and, crucially, more focused alternatives to work with.

(Photo: Alex Davidson/Getty Images)

Tottenham Hotspur winger Mikey Moore has marked his 18th birthday by signing a new long-term contract with the club.

Moore, who turned 18 on Friday, is currently on a season-long loan at Scottish Premiership club Rangers after breaking into Spurs’ first-team squad last season.

The England youth international signed his first professional contract last August, with the deal running through to 2027.

Moore made his debut for his boyhood club at the end of the 2023-24 season, becoming Tottenham’s youngest player to make a Premier League appearance when he made his top-flight bow against Manchester City in May.

He made 19 first-team appearances last term under former head coach Ange Postecoglou, scoring once and providing two assists.

His campaign was interrupted by spending several weeks out with illness.

He caught the eye in the 1-0 win over AZ Alkmaar in the Europa League initial phase in October, after which James Maddison compared Moore to Neymar and Postecoglou admitted that it would be “pretty hard to keep a lid” on the forward’s talent.

Spurs have strengthened in forward areas this summer since replacing Postecoglou with Thomas Frank, completing the signing of Mohammed Kudus from West Ham United in a deal worth around £55million, while they have also made Mathys Tel’s loan move from Bayern Munich permanent.

As reported by The Athletic on Friday, Spurs are in talks with Manchester City over a deal for winger Savinho.

Analysis

This is an excellent piece of business from Spurs to tie one of the most exciting players to emerge from their academy in a few years to a long-term deal.

Moore became the youngest player to represent Spurs in the Premier League when he came off the bench against Manchester City in May 2024, aged 16 years and 277 days.

Moore’s progress was disrupted by a nasty virus last season, but he still earned a lot of first-team exposure. He made 19 appearances in all competitions, including three starts in the Premier League.

The attacking midfielder scored his first senior goal in a 3-0 victory over Elfsborg in the Europa League. Game time was always going to be more difficult for Moore with Spurs competing in the Champions League this season and a loan move to Rangers was the right decision for his long-term development.

Spurs will hope that he returns next summer ready to secure a spot in new head coach Thomas Frank’s plans.

(Photo: Rob Newell – CameraSport via Getty Images)

Tottenham Hotspur have held talks with Manchester City over an unexpected deal to sign winger Savinho.

Dialogue has taken place between the clubs and a package worth in the region of €50million (£43.3m, $58.2m) is under discussion.

City are not actively looking to sell Savinho but he open to the possibility and Pep Guardiola tends not to stand in the way of player who wants to leave.

An agreement has not been reached but work continues as Spurs try to land the 21-year-old in a shock move.

Savinho joined City from Girona last summer and the Brazil international is contracted to them until June 2028.

The winger, who has scored one goal in 13 international appearances for Brazil, netted three times for Guardiola’s side across 48 appearances in 2024-25.

Having begun his career at Atletico Mineiro, he subsequently joined French club Troyes, part of the City Football Group (CFG).

He was loaned to PSV Eindhoven, where he made eight appearances in 2022-23, before in 2023-24 making a loan move to CFG sister club Girona, whom he helped to a top-four finish in La Liga and a first-ever club qualification to the Champions League, with 11 goals that term.

Savinho then made a permanent move to City, the flagship team of CFG, last summer.

(Francois Nel/Getty Images)

Guglielmo Vicario spent three years with hometown club Udinese but never made a first-team appearance.

In the summer of 2016, he left the Italian top-flight side and signed a permanent deal with Venezia, having just helped them achieve promotion to Serie C during a season-long loan. Vicario bounced around the lower leagues in Italy until he spent two years as Empoli’s first-choice goalkeeper in Serie A and earned a £17.2million ($23.1m) move to Tottenham Hotspur in June 2023.

On Wednesday evening, Vicario returns to the city where he grew up as a winner of the Europa League. Udinese’s stadium is hosting the European Super Cup between Spurs and Paris Saint-Germain. After a disappointing 4-0 defeat against Bayern Munich in their final pre-season friendly last week, Spurs have an opportunity to win another piece of silverware in new head coach Thomas Frank’s first competitive game.

“(Udine) is a small city, so just to imagine being involved in such an important game, a European final again, is a dream,” Vicario says during Tottenham’s pre-season tour of East Asia. “It’s a big achievement for the club. What we did in Bilbao (beating Manchester United in the Europa League final), we earned this right to play against PSG. It will be amazing. A lot of people close to me, friends and members of my family, will be watching. We were season ticket holders at Udinese.”

PSG’s first-choice goalkeeper is Italy captain Gianluigi Donnarumma. Vicario and Donnarumma have not spoken before this game but they congratulated each other after winning last season’s Europa League and Champions League respectively. Dino Zoff, who was in goal when Italy won the 1982 World Cup, grew up in Udine but Vicario’s inspiration was a midfielder — his uncle, Alessandro Bais, who never played higher than Serie C.

“My dad, my uncle, everyone was in love with football,” he says. “It’s probably easier when you are a child to kick a ball than to try to catch a ball but I had this love for being a goalkeeper since I was seven. I carried on and found my way.”

Vicario is strolling around Yeouido Park with centre-back Kevin Danso on one of the final days of Spurs’ summer trip to Hong Kong and Seoul. They are both wearing a hanbok, a traditional South Korean dress, and are in the shadow of a statue that commemorates the 15th-century ruler King Sejong. The sun is scorching and cicadas are noisily chirping in the trees.

A couple of hours earlier, across the road on the third floor of the IFC Mall, Son Heung-min announced he wanted to leave Spurs after “10 beautiful years”. Son told his team-mates shortly before the dramatic press conference. A few days later, after an emotional farewell at the Seoul World Cup Stadium, the 33-year-old completed a £20million move to Los Angeles FC. Vicario was spotted after the game repeatedly kissing Son on the head as they said goodbye.

“I would have loved to stay with him forever,” Vicario tells a group of journalists, including The Athletic, before Son’s move to LAFC was completed. “I love him as a human being. We shared a dressing room for two seasons and we won a massive trophy. We will remember each other and see each other. We will share this good stuff about what we did in Bilbao that night. It will stay with me forever because we created history together. He was my captain on that day so I will be grateful to him for eternity.

“It hasn’t been easy but I’m just happy for him. What he has done in his football career and life, he is a wonderful human being. He deserves the best.”

Son’s departure means Frank needs to find somebody to take over the captain’s armband. Cristian Romero was the vice-captain under former head coach Ange Postecoglou, while Vicario and James Maddison were members of the leadership group. Vicario led the side on the final day of last season in a 4-1 defeat by Brighton & Hove Albion. Maddison’s chances of replacing Son have been dealt a crushing blow after he suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in this month’s 1-1 draw with Newcastle United, ruling him out for the majority of the campaign. Does Vicario feel ready for more responsibility?

“I am happy to help the dressing room and the youngsters,” the 28-year-old says. “It doesn’t matter who has the armband. It is on us, especially the older players, to be respectful to each other and try to show it in a very good way. We have a lot of good characters in Cuti (Romero), Ben Davies, (Micky) van de Ven, Dominic Solanke, Madders. It’s on us to lead the dressing room and do what Sonny did over the last two years.”

Vicario sounds like a natural leader when he talks honestly about Spurs’ ambitions for the season. “We need to improve our league position. Last year wasn’t good enough. We will try in five competitions starting on August 13. We have an opportunity to win another trophy. We know it will be hard, playing against probably the best team in the world at the moment, but we want to be successful.”

Much has changed across multiple departments at Spurs this summer. Frank replaced Postecoglou in June on a three-year contract. The only surviving member of the latter’s backroom staff is Matt Wells. Fabian Otte has arrived as the new goalkeeping coach from Liverpool, after helping them win the Premier League title last season. He replaces Rob Burch.

During Liverpool’s pre-season preparations last year, Otte made the goalkeepers wear training goggles that limit peripheral vision and noise-cancelling headphones. Vicario describes Otte, who did his PhD in goalkeeper skill acquisition training, as a “good guy”, and they have quickly built a close relationship. The Italy international has been impressed by Frank, too.

“He is focused and clear on what the team has to deliver on the pitch, both attacking and defending,” Vicario says. “Now we are on the way. It’s on us how we can be focused and tuned in to his instructions. If we do it 100 per cent every game, even when the toughest period of the year will come, we will get a lot of joy.”

Vicario was Postecoglou’s first official signing and they shared a close bond. This year, the Australian called Vicario “one of the purest human beings you can come across”. There were lots of different factors as to why Spurs struggled in the top flight last season but they lost eight of their 12 games after Vicario fractured his ankle in a 4-0 victory over Manchester City in November.

Vicario returned in February and kept a clean sheet in a 1-0 win against Manchester United. However, Spurs lost 22 games and finished 17th as their focus switched to the Europa League. Postecoglou was sacked in June, only two weeks after they beat United in Bilbao to lift their first piece of silverware in 17 years.

“I texted Ange when I heard the news,” Vicario says. “I will always be linked to him because we created history on that night. He was the manager on that special night when we lifted that trophy.

“I can just say lovely words about him. He is a great character and he gave me the opportunity to play in the Premier League and confidence in my abilities to be the first-choice goalkeeper. I will be thankful for my whole life.”

Frank will place different demands on Vicario compared to Postecoglou. Under the latter, Spurs rarely kicked the ball long in the top flight last season. During his time with Brentford, Frank instructed David Raya and Mark Flekken to chip passes over the opposition defence towards the strikers.

Antonin Kinsky, who joined Spurs from Slavia Prague in January, might have a more varied passing range than Tottenham’s current No 1, but Frank will find Vicario’s experience and leadership invaluable during his first season in charge.

(Top photo: Jonathan Moscrop/Getty Images)

Thomas Frank nearly had to cancel a party that he had been planning with his wife, Nanna, for over a year.

In the middle of June, they invited 90 guests to a hotel in Denmark to celebrate life — an idea that had been discussed for several years. Frank and Nanna spent the entire weekend with their three children, friends and the rest of their family playing volleyball, gorging on a buffet of grilled meats, popping bottles of champagne in the spa and dancing until the early hours of the morning.

The party started on Friday, June 13 at 3pm, coincidentally, less than 24 hours after Frank had been appointed as Tottenham Hotspur’s new head coach. At least it gave him the perfect excuse to fully enjoy the celebrations.

“We planned to do it a year ago because there was no World Cup or Euros this summer, and then this f***ing show started,” Frank tells a group of journalists, including The Athletic, on a rooftop in Seoul during Tottenham’s pre-season tour of East Asia.

“I signed (with Spurs) the day before, and we came to the hotel to check everything was in place. The next day, I went for a run and a morning swim. Then I had the last bit of talking. I put the phone down, had a quick shower and at 2:50 pm, people came and we partied over the weekend.

“There was a fantastic vibe. I’m still young, but when you are 50, you don’t normally go to a big party like that, and, because people were staying overnight, everyone was all in. The first night was supposed to be a little bit quiet. We had champagne and drank a few beers first, went to dinner and then it became lively. There was a sing-along band. We got to bed around 2:30am.”

The following night, Frank stayed up with a few of his closest friends until around 5am. He knew it would be the last opportunity to truly unwind in what has turned into an eventful summer.

The Dane took charge of what turned out to be his last game with Brentford, a 1-1 draw against Wolverhampton Wanderers, on May 25.

He spent a few days in Denmark on holiday before he flew to Nerja in Spain with his mother and sister. They talked for hours on the rooftop terrace over cups of coffee and lounged in the swimming pool. After Nanna arrived, Frank visited a few interior design and kitchen shops with her in Marbella. It was a “relaxing” trip, but everything was about to change.

On June 6, Spurs sacked Ange Postecoglou. The club identified four potential candidates to replace the Australian and drew up a list of key criteria, including a track record of youth development, being a good communicator with the media and fans, experience of European competition and working within a club structure.

The process was led by chairman Daniel Levy, new chief executive officer Vinai Venkatesham and sporting director Johan Lange. The latter has known Frank for over 20 years since they worked together at the Danish second-division side B.93.

Candidates, including Frank, were asked to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the first-team squad. Frank had questions about the injury crisis which Spurs suffered last season. Despite his lack of experience in Europe — he has only managed in the qualifying rounds of the Europa League with Brondby — Frank emerged as their No 1 target and agreed a three-year contract.

Before the process was completed, Frank and Nanna drove from west London to Copenhagen so they could take the family’s dog home with them for a few weeks. They left their house at 6:30am and caught a train from Folkestone to Calais. They spent nine hours in the car, powered by espressos and energy drinks with only a couple of short breaks to use the toilet, before they reached the ferry terminal at Putgarten in Germany.

After checking the GPS, they skipped the ferry and drove through Denmark until they reached Copenhagen at 11pm. Frank spent the majority of the journey with headphones on, deep in conversation with people about his exciting new challenge with Spurs.

“I was not that fun to drive with,” Frank says. “From the drive home onwards, I was (working) non-stop. Getting closer to the job, finding out I will probably get it, then the paperwork. Then it was squad planning, talking to people and trying to get the right people with me. From June 12, when I signed, until July 5, I had two spare 90 minutes for myself in the summer house. The rest was work.

“We saw friends and family in the evening, so I didn’t work from 6am until 6pm, but I was on the phone, laptop, and online meetings. It’s positive because that’s an opportunity to plan. Imagine coming in the middle of the season; it must be a nightmare.”

Frank has not spoken to his predecessor Postecoglou and does not plan to. “I don’t know him, so I feel it would be a little bit odd, but if I meet him, I will go and speak to him. He always came across very friendly, open-minded and like a good person.”

The 51-year-old and his coaching staff have only been working with Tottenham’s first-team squad for around a month, but he knows where they need to improve after finishing 17th in the top flight last season. Spurs have looked more compact throughout much of pre-season and have been experimenting with a 4-2-3-1 system. They beat Arsenal 1-0 in Hong Kong and drew 1-1 with Newcastle United in Seoul, although they did lose 4-0 to Bayern Munich on Thursday night.

“There are a lot of (good) things from Ange,” Frank says. “They are a very brave (team). The ability to play and train with intensity is very high, so that is a good foundation.

“Set pieces are an area I have a big belief in, and it’s hugely important, but it was not as highlighted as before, looking from the outside. We all have different beliefs. There is something on the defensive side where we need to be more balanced from defending the box, low, middle and high, but they were very good at high pressing last year. They are the two big areas.”

Frank has been impressed by Pape Matar Sarr, Rodrigo Bentancur and Archie Gray. Ben Davies, who only has a year left on his contract, is a candidate for the dressing room’s leadership group because of “the way he understands the bigger picture”. He has praised others too, including Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Djed Spence and Wilson Odobert.

Tottenham’s squad struggled to cope with competing in multiple competitions last season and were rocked by an injury crisis. James Maddison will miss most of the 2025-26 campaign after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury in the draw with Newcastle, Dejan Kulusevski is recovering from his own knee injury, while Son Heung-min has left after “10 beautiful years”.

Spurs should be using their victory over Manchester United in Bilbao as a springboard to more success. The only senior signing who immediately improves the starting XI is Mohammed Kudus after their pursuit of Morgan Gibbs-White led to Nottingham Forest reporting them to the Premier League for an illegal approach.

Meanwhile, Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea have all spent over £100million ($134m) in the transfer market.

“The squad needs to be big and robust enough so we can compete in all four tournaments,” Frank says. “But I can’t have too many players. It’s just so difficult to keep everyone happy. It’s almost impossible.

“Then we want to see if we can add quality. We don’t want to sign players we don’t think can really improve the squad. I would want to wait. We have talented players who can grow. I’m not here for the short-term fix; I want to build something that can last. We need to think longer-term, but we need to compete now.

“I’m constantly learning about (the players). Finding out… are they good enough? Can they raise their ceiling? And do they fit the culture? Those are the three big things.”

There has been a significant change across Spurs this summer. Venkatesham has arrived as CEO, while chief football officer Scott Munn has left. Long-serving executive Donna-Maria Cullen is stepping down from the board. Adam Brett, director of performance services, and Nick Davies, head of sports science, have departed too.

“How much is going to change at the club, I am a little bit in doubt of. But Vinai has come in and he’s clearly going to be an important part,” Frank says. “All the talks I have had with him, he comes across well. He’s going to be integral to our success going forward.

“I have a good feeling that we have a good opportunity for — I don’t want to say change — but just act. They won the first trophy, we are in the Champions League, but we need to build. As I said in the first press conference, we are now in 2025. Six years ago, we were able to compete in all competitions, and that is what we need to do. The competition has only become more difficult. There’s a lot of work we need to do to get up there.”

Frank recognises it will take time for everything to come together. He brought several members of staff with him from Brentford, including head of athletic performance Chris Haslam, assistant coach Justin Cochrane and analyst Joe Newton. Spurs have hired Cameron Campbell to the newly-created role of individual development (IDP) coach, while Fabian Otte is in charge of the goalkeeping department, and Andreas Georgson will oversee set pieces.

“All the processes were in place in Brentford,” he says. “Everyone knew what to do. I had a well-oiled coaching machine. I have a very good coaching staff now, and I think it will be top-level, but we don’t know each other. It’s a big advantage that Chris, Justin and I have been running it at Brentford, but we can’t do it on our own here. We need to create a super strong unit to get everybody on board with the principles.

“For example, the coaching meetings in the morning and the afternoon last an hour, but before (at Brentford) it was 10 to 15 minutes. I need to know all the people at the training ground, get to know the players better, invest even more in watching training and games.

“We are signing players here, and the processes in Brentford were, I’m not saying better, but very good. Johan and his team are doing a top job, but for them to understand what I’m looking for, that needs to be aligned. Now I need to spend more time with Johan and Rob (Mackenzie, head of scouting). All of that is extra hours every day.”

Frank had a close relationship with Brentford’s owner Matthew Benham, CEO Jon Varney and director of football Phil Giles.

During Tottenham’s pre-season tour, he was involved in squad planning meetings with Levy, Lange and Venkatesham on the eighth floor of the Kerry Hotel in Hong Kong, where they discussed targets over breakfast. He went on walks around the hotel with Lange, too. The early signs are promising, but no manager has lasted more than two years at Spurs since Mauricio Pochettino was sacked in November 2019.

“I did what I could to do my due diligence about the club, the people and everyone involved in it,” Frank says. “With the short knowledge I have of Daniel — and I guess that’s the reason why you ask, because I guess some don’t think he has the best reputation — he has been very good. It’s been a good approach in everything and very transparent. Sometimes there can be a reputation that is very difficult to get away from.”

Frank joined Brentford in December 2016 as an assistant to Dean Smith before he spent nearly seven years as their head coach. He guided them from the Championship to the Premier League and recorded two top-half finishes in the top flight. He will go down as one of the most important figures in their history.

At his introductory press conference with Spurs, he said, “In a way it was very difficult and in a way it was very easy” to leave the west London side.

“I felt that maybe it was time to challenge myself and get another opportunity,” he added. How did he break the news to Brentford’s senior figures?

“I told Phil (Giles) from the beginning when there was the first approach because I wanted to be clear,” Frank says in Seoul. “I owed them that respect so they could plan accordingly. Maybe I wouldn’t get the job, but then at least they could start thinking and prepare. When I got very close, I called Matthew (Benham). When I got offered the job, there were negotiations and a little bit of friction. After that, I spoke to Phil a few times and Matthew once, but I will definitely go for dinner with them.”

Brentford’s stadium holds 17,250 supporters and is dwarfed by Tottenham’s, which has a maximum capacity of around 63,000. Brentford’s turnover for the 2023-24 season was £166.5m. Tottenham’s was over three times that amount at £528.4m. Brentford might have finished above Spurs last season, but there is no doubt that Frank has taken a huge step up in his career.

“I’m super excited and ready for the challenge,” he says. “I loved it at Brentford. It was a top job in every aspect and it was only an opportunity like this I wanted. This can be fantastic but maybe also not so good — who knows?

“The opportunity to make a difference here is massive, and I’m looking forward to it. I will go in, be brave and be myself.”

(Top photo: Jasmin Walter/Getty Images)

Follow live reaction as Spurs were routed by Bayern in a pre-season friendly

Reaction: Bayern Munich 4-0 Tottenham

Bayern Munich thrashed a woeful Tottenham 4-0 in an entertaining pre-season friendly at Allianz Arena today.

Harry Kane scored and missed a penalty before Kingsley Coman, Lennart Karl, and Jonah Kusi-Asare added to the lead in the second half.

It was the final friendly for Spurs before the UEFA Super Cup vs PSG and their penultimate match before the 2025-26 Premier League season.

Contact: live@theathletic.com

GO FURTHER

Joao Palhinha doesn’t cure all of Tottenham’s problems, but he solves a pretty big one

Spurs' pre-season results

As they reach the end of pre-season friendlies, let’s remind ourselves of how Tottenham got on this summer:

Reading 0-2 Spurs

Spurs 2-2 Wycombe

Luton 0-0 Spurs

Arsenal 0-1 Spurs

Spurs 1-1 Newcastle

Bayern Munich 4-0 Spurs

Can Bayern challenge in the Champions League?

Domestic form is never something to take for granted and after being knocked off their perch two seasons ago by Bayer Leverkusen, Bayern bounced back in Vincent Kompany’s first season.

Even so, European success is so often the benchmark for managers being considered a success at the club and Bayern were unable to taste success in the Champions League last season.

They even fell into the play-off round at the end of the league phase to book their place in the knock-outs. Progress in continental competition will be on their minds this year.

How big of a loss is Madison?

Judging on a relatively blunt performance in attack from Spurs this evening, it is a big loss.

Spurs confirmed that James Maddison will be out for most of the season after he ruptured his ACL in his right knee in a pre-season friendly against Newcastle United.

The No. 10 is a key creative outlet for Spurs — they might well be feeling the pressure to sign a replacement unless they are confident in Lucas Bergvall’s abilities.

And up next for Spurs?

Things get a little trickier, with their UEFA Super Cup match against Paris Saint Germain on Wednesday.

That is all before their Premier League season opener against Burnley on Saturday August 16.

Up next for Bayern...

...is another friendly, their last of pre-season, against Swiss side Grasshoppers on Tuesday.

They then head straight into the thick of the action with a DFL Supercup match against Stuttgart on Saturday August 16.

Harry Kane: ‘Great opportunity’ for exciting youngsters

Speaking to FC Bayern TV Plus after the match, Harry Kane hailed his side's young players.

He said: “We talk about needing the squad through the whole year.

“They were great finishes from Lenny (Lennart Karl) and Kusi (Jonah Kusi-Asare) and all the boys that played have been training really well.

“It's a great opportunity for them and everyone who stepped onto the pitch did a really good job.”

Let's hear from Vincent Kompany

Here’s the Bayern boss’s thoughts when speaking to FC Bayern TV after that impressive win:

“It is still one of our first few games, the lads did well but we have to stay calm. I'm a bit surprised with the lads giving this level of performance so early.

“I didn't expect it but the mental preparation is just as important. The second half was very impressive from our perspective, we got two goals from two young players on the pitch.

“The lads showed a willingness to run and not everything was perfect but they showed willingness. They are not going to win every challenge or be successful in every moment but if they can keep level heads, they will do well.”

Four quality goals from Bayern

You would struggle to pick the best of the four Bayern goals, such was the quality of them.

And the positive for Kompany is that two of them came from youngsters, who are looking for their breakthrough with the senior team this season.

After a trimming of the squad, there is every chance that they could feature more regularly, too.

A first defeat under Frank for Spurs

For all their progress during this pre-season period, that marks a very disappointing first defeat under Thomas Frank for Spurs.

Getting picked apart so easily — even by one of Europe’s top sides — is a worry.

FULL TIME: Bayern Munich 4-0 Tottenham Hotspur

And that’s full time!

The referee does not bother adding anything extra on at the end of the match and as the clock ticks over to 90 minutes he brings things to a close.

Plenty to digest from that one.

Full time cannot come soon enough for Spurs

They have had their chances in this match but Spurs have been poor today.

Bayern have shown their class — and even with teenagers on the pitch they have had plenty to smile about.

A frustrating display for Thomas Frank’s side, who will be glad for the full time whistle.

Pre-season or otherwise, Tottenham have really not been very good. It's 4-0 now — another brilliant goal —and it's turning into the thrashing that they deserve.

There are caveats to add, of course, but it's difficult to know what the positives from this are, beyond further clarity surrounding the need for additions.

It is one thing to lose to Bayern when they are at full strength, but conceding two goals when they have thrown on a load of academy players will sting Spurs.

At least they have a nice easy fixture next against... the Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain.

Two Spurs changes

On come Bissouma and Gray for Bentancur and Sarr.

GOAL! Kusi-Asare with a quality strike

These have been four very top quality finishes from Bayern and Kusi-Asare rifles one into the top corner from a wide angle.

It’s a demolition of Spurs.

Lovely Bayern goal. Lennart Karl is one of their great hopes for the future and is expected to get plenty of minutes this season at first team level.

Keep finishing like that — placed and curved from the edge of the box — and he certainly will.

How are Bayern set up now?

Manuel Neuer remains in goal.

At the back, it's Boey, Kim, Cassiano Kiala, and Guerreiro.

Santos Daiber and Bischof make up a young engine room, with Lennart Karl and Paul Wanner joining Luis Diaz in attacking midfield.

Kusi-Asare replaces Kane up front.

A sign of how dominant Bayern have been, that Vincent Kompany has turned to the kids off the bench.

Load more updates

Dele Alli is poised to leave Como with immediate effect after just six months at the Italian club, but has no plans to end his playing career.

Dele, 29, joined Como as a free agent in January after his contract at Everton expired in June 2024. The former Tottenham Hotspur and England midfielder signed an 18-month contract at the Serie A side but is set to depart with a year remaining on his deal after failing to settle under head coach Cesc Fabregas.

Contrary to reports in Italy, Dele is not planning to retire from playing on leaving Como.

He made just one appearance, playing 10 minutes as he was shown a red card after coming on as an 80th-minute substitute in the 2-1 defeat to AC Milan in March.

The two-time PFA young player of the year has not featured in any of Como’s three pre-season friendlies and has struggled to maintain consistent game time after his departure from Spurs in January 2022.

He has since had spells at Everton and Turkish side Besiktas but has not played more than 20 games in a season since the 2021-22 season, having missed the entirety of the 2023-24 season while contracted with Everton with various injuries.

Dele joined Tottenham in 2015 from MK Dons and was one of the brightest prospects in the Premier League at that time. He recorded 10 goals and 10 assists in his debut season at the north London club and earned his England debut in October 2015, before going on to gain 37 caps for the national team.

In 2023, Dele spoke in an interview with Gary Neville on The Overlap about his mental health, saying he went to rehab after struggling with a sleeping pill addiction.

“Everton were amazing about it, they were always supportive of me 100 per cent and I’ll be grateful for them forever,” he said at the time. “Whatever happens in the future, for them to be so open, honest and understanding, I couldn’t have asked for anything more in that time when I was probably making the biggest decision of my life, something I was scared to do.”

Among his 269 appearances for Tottenham, Dele played a leading role in their second-placed Premier League finish in the 2016-17 campaign. He scored 22 goals (18 in the Premier League) and made 13 assists as Spurs recorded their highest top-flight finish since 1962-63. Despite suffering from hamstring injuries in the 2018-19 season, Dele made eight appearances in Spurs’ run to the Champions League final and started in the 2-0 defeat to Liverpool in Madrid.

Dele was also a part of Gareth Southgate’s England squad which reached the World Cup semi-final in 2018 and scored in the 2-0 quarter-final victory over Sweden.

(Photo: Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)