Tottenham Hotspur

The in-form midfielder returned from a long-term hamstring injury during the 2-2 home draw with Brighton last month and has been influential in recent away victories over Wolves and Aston Villa.

Following a difficult stretch that saw him sidelined for 16 games across all competitions, Rodrigo’s timely comeback to start the last three league games has helped the team at a time of need and he feels our recent resurgence has lifted the mood around the club.

“After a long injury again, I feel really good,” said the Uruguay international. “I worked a lot for this but now the most important thing is the team are back to winning and we are out the relegation zone for now.

“We understand the situation and now, after you get back to winning games, the energy changes a lot and we feel really good.

“Roberto has tried to work in a positive mentality and positive aspects. He said, ‘you guys play really good, now we need to start to play again’, so we work like this.

“He works really good in the tactical aspect and then, with the ball, he is amazing. We try to take what we work on in the week to do the same in the game and I think the last game against Villa we showed how we want to play. We want to continue with this.”

When asked about the most pleasing aspects of our impressive 2-1 victory at Villa Park, our number 30 – who orchestrated the tempo and could be seen telling team-mates to be calm in possession throughout his 67 minutes – explained: “We enjoyed the ball and also the tactical aspect without the ball.

“We (have) started to work really good and you can see that in the last game against Villa. We pressed in high positions, we want to win the ball fast and then with the ball Roberto wants to play calm. When we can go fast, we go fast, otherwise we play, enjoy and move. I think the team felt really good.”

Rodrigo also praised our Head Coach’s man-management and attention to detail, highlighting the balance the Italian has struck between intensity and freedom in his first month in charge.

“When Roberto came in, he tried to change the energy, the mentality, just to feel again these positive things and he work a lot on this,” he added.

“He is a passionate boss. If he needs to push, he pushes. But, otherwise, he said, ‘with the ball, please guys, play, enjoy’. I think we have changed.”

The 28-year-old missed over three months of action from his injury at Bournemouth on 7 January and was grateful to our fans for the love you showed him when he returned against Brighton at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Back home under the lights on Monday night, he also underlined the amazing atmosphere in the stadium that afternoon which can play a big part in our remaining home games, starting with Leeds.

“You know, when I'm back against Brighton, they show me a lot of love,” he said. “Also the atmosphere is really, really good. It's amazing. We need to work really hard these four days and to win these three finals.”

Graham Smyth, Chief Football Writer at the Yorkshire Evening Post - @GrahamSmyth - has watched that transformation every step of the way....

First up Graham, what have you made of Leeds’ recent form - and what do you put it down to?

Graham: "Leeds have been competitive in games throughout the season, so there's always been a chance of a run of good form, but it has helped that players like Noah Okafor have really started to turn it on at the business end of the campaign. His end product has been key to some of their best results recently, along with the form of several others down the spine of the team."

Daniel Farke tweaked his three-man defensive system from 3-4-2-1 to 3-5-2 against Burnley - do you think he’ll stick with that on Monday night, or maybe revert to 3-4-2-1?

Graham: "Three centre-backs has been a theme for Leeds since November but they have been pretty fluid. At times it's a 3-4-3. It has been pretty difficult to predict exactly what Farke will do. The results prior to Monday might have a little bit of a say because if Leeds are safe then he could go with a slightly more aggressive set-up. They have looked effective with a back four when he's gone for it in games, needing goals."

We last played in October - who has been Leeds’ key man since then? How important has a fit Dominic Calvert-Lewin been?

Graham: "There are a number of candidates for the Player of the Season award. Ethan Ampadu's form has barely wavered in the midfield. Left wing-back Gabriel Gudmundsson is having an excellent debut season in the top flight. At centre-back, Pascal Struijk has been hugely influential in Leeds' possession game and in midfield Anton Stach has been fantastic on both sides of the ball. But what makes Dominic Calvert-Lewin so important is that he brings something so unique to the squad. His importance cannot be overstated. The goals have almost been a bonus because his hold-up play and 'donkey work' allow Leeds to relieve pressure and play in the right areas."

Anton Stach seems to be the man of the moment – what can you tell us about him?

Graham: "He's 6ft 4ins tall, wins duels and creates chances. Scoring direct free-kicks and pretty goals has endeared him to Leeds fans as much as his social media presence - he and his wife create matchday graphics with a difference and have started a YouTube channel. Daniel Farke describes him as a 'bit weird' but Leeds fans like that."

Finally - how you think it will all pan out Monday night?

Graham: "I would expect nothing less than another tight, competitive game. Leeds are in a really good spell and will want to finish the season strongly, so even if they are safe, I would expect them to be right up for it. Daniel Farke wants to finish as high up the table as possible and there are players with World Cup spots to play for. As much as Spurs are desperate for points and are finally back on the front foot themselves, I can see a 2-1 Leeds win or a 2-2 draw."

Watch - last time we met

For our Under-21s’ Premier League 2 play-off semi-final at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium against Brighton and Hove Albion this evening (7pm UK), we have produced a four-page matchday programme, which will be available at the Tap Inns on West Level 1 of the stadium tonight.

Fans can view the programme here.

One of our most popular players of the modern era, the goalkeeper claimed England's number one spot within six months of joining us from Leeds in the summer of 2004. It was a position he'd keep for the next three years - 37 of his 41 caps at Spurs - including all five matches in the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

However, international duty also provided arguably the lowlight of Robbo's career. That was back in October, 2006, when a back pass from Gary Neville in a Euro 2008 qualifier against Croatia hit a divot, bounced over Robbo's foot and home. Robbo had kept Croatia at bay all night, but they won 2-0 - England failed to qualify.

The comparison between that and Antonin's unfortunate first half against Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Champions League in March is there for all to see. Robbo was fully in the media spotlight after what happened in Croatia, and Toni was substituted after 17 minutes in the Metropolitano with us trailing 3-0 - tough times to overcome.

However, Toni has done just that. Back in goal as Guglielmo Vicario recovers from surgery to repair a hernia, he’s impressed in our last four matches, all under Roberto De Zerbi, with the highlight a world-class save in the final seconds to secure a crucial 1-0 win at Wolves.

Robbo, a League Cup winner here in 2008, retired in 2017 and is now a pundit for Five Live, Premier League Productions and Astro TV in Malaysia – he was a pundit at our recent games against Brighton and Villa - and has been impressed with what he’s seen.

“The mental strength that he's shown has been incredible,” said Robbo. “I was in the stadium in Madrid that night and I've never seen anything like it, one of the biggest blows you could ever have as a goalkeeper is to be substituted.

“To come back from that in the way that he has, at such a young age… to have that challenge so early on in his career, it's difficult for you as a goalkeeper, you're always on an upward trajectory and things have been going well - back home in Czechia, his club career, his domestic career, his international career, it's always been on an upward curve.

“Then you get a hit like that. It’s coming, but you just don't know when it's coming. To have it so early on and the way that he's dealt with it has been superb.

“I've always been an admirer of his goalkeeping because I think he's got a lot of quality. I think he's technically an all-round, very good goalkeeper and he's going to develop into a top-class goalkeeper.

“It’s amazing what confidence can do for you and the mindset of a player when he steps onto the pitch is huge. Roberto De Zerbi can take a lot of credit for the way that he's handled the situation. He's had to because of Vicario's injury, but Antonin Kinsky deserves so much credit for the mentality and the mental strength that he's shown.”

Growing up in the small town of Ikast, in the central region of Denmark, a young Olivia Holdt would spend her spare time studying clips of Ronaldinho and Neymar entertaining the crowd with their silky skills – something that she wanted to replicate when she stepped into the professional game.

Fast forward to the age of 24, the goalscoring midfielder has showcased that in a Lilywhite shirt this season, from producing some breathtaking skills to ease past defenders to scoring sensational long-range strikes or composed finishes inside the box, netting eight goals in all competitions this term.

The perfect example came in our final home game of the season at the weekend against London City Lionesses, where she arguably netted a goal of the season contender with a stunning strike from 25 yards out, picking out the top corner to leave Elene Lette, and that has been added to catalogue of outrageous finishes this term.

But no matter how good it looks, whether that is goals or her skills, Oli just wants to produce end results - and she feels there has been moments where she could have added to her tally.

“It comes from how I like to watch football,” she told us, speaking in an exclusive interview in the matchday programme. “My idols have always been players like Neymar and Ronaldinho - those players make you excited and sit on the edge of your seat.

“They're the kind of players that inspired me, so now being able to do some of those things for yourself, it's nice. It keeps me excited and motivated, being able to make football a bit entertaining because, of course, there's a lot of tactics and a lot of physical stuff, so to bring some of those more, I don't know if I can call it fun stuff, into the game is just something I enjoy.

“I'm happy that I've been able to show more this season. But, at the end of the day, it can look as good as it can, however I also need to get some end results, so it’s been nice that I've contributed with some goals and assists this season, it doesn't only look good with a nutmeg or two somewhere.”

Having gone from watching clips of her idols on YouTube when she was younger, it’s fair to say that young girls who are just starting football are now tuning into showreels of Oli’s highlights on the pitch or turning up with ‘Holdt’ on the back of their shirt – something that still hasn’t sunk in for her just yet.

“Every time I see somebody wearing my shirt at the stadium, I always get surprised because there are so many other players they could choose,” she said. “It's still a bit - not mind-blowing because I know, of course, I play for a top team - but still, it's very nice to see and I get happy and surprised every time I see somebody wearing my shirt.”

While the 24-year-old feels she could have added to her tally this season, it has still been an impressive first full season in England to date, registering 13 goal contributions (nine goals and four assists) in 27 appearances in all competitions.

Joining us halfway through the 2024/25 campaign, coming off the back of a long-term injury at Rosengard, Oli felt the difficulties of adapting to her new environment and league at the beginning but nearly 16 months into her time in north London, she feels at home.

“It's been a very good year for me as well,” Oli added. “As a footballer, especially as an attacking player, you would always like to score more goals and more assists but, overall, I have been pleased.

“Martin [Ho] coming in has helped me a lot personally and the players around me have just made it a lot easier for me to go out there and perform because I felt the trust this year.

“It's hard coming to a new club in the middle of the season, especially to this league, with its higher tempo and better players. The first six months I just had to get some minutes after coming back from an injury and get to know how it works here and get settled outside of the football.

“So, now coming into a full season, it has been really nice. I've adjusted well and I feel at home. It also makes sense now that I then signed a new contract, it shows that I feel good here and want to keep developing.”

Having excelled on the pitch under the helm of Martin, she has been at the heart of our strong season to date in the WSL as we are currently sat fifth in the table and still have an opportunity to surpass our record points tally in a single season (32 achieved in the 2021/22 campaign).

“It's been a positive season,” replied the midfielder. “Last season we really struggled to get wins and points, but this term has been a complete turnaround.

“We've got a lot of points, we've played some good games and we’re coming off the back of the Manchester United game, where we played some of our best football this season in possession.

“I definitely think the gap is getting smaller [to the teams above us]. There's still some way to be competing with the top four teams, but we're in a good development right now and we can see the gap is getting smaller, so that's really exciting.”

Vote for Olivia for WSL Player of the Season

Oli's impressive season has been recognised with a nomination for the Barclays Women’s Super League’s Player of the Season award for 2025/26. Voting is now open and will close at 12noon on Wednesday 13 May.

Andy, who has been an outstanding servant to the Club for 24 years in a range of roles, will be leaving to spend more time with his family.

Having taken over leadership of the Women’s team in February, 2023, Andy has been relentless in driving standards and laying the foundations for success across on-pitch performance and off-pitch operations.

He has played an integral role in delivering historic moments, such as our first ever Women’s FA Cup final, as well as those which will live long in the memory – a north London derby victory and record WSL finish.

Andy said: “My time as Managing Director of the Women’s team has been by far the most rewarding and inspiring – personally and professionally – of all my 24 years at this fantastic Club. I have loved working with an incredible group of staff and players, both past and present, who have been my life for the past three-and-a-half years.

“I am so proud of the incredible staffing group that we’ve constructed. The growth and progress we have shown is down to them and I sincerely believe we have created the foundations for them to continue to learn, develop and carry the ambition of the Club as high as I know it can reach.

“I want to especially thank Vinai and the Board for their support, vision, and backing, which has been a fundamental driver of this season’s clear progress. And to Martin Ho – although we have only worked together for a short time, the impact he has made across every area of the Club through his passion, obsession and unwavering desire to win, has created an incredible environment for long-term success.

“Our aim was always to create the most successful Women’s football organisation, both on and off the pitch, through innovation, inspirational leadership, hard work and relentless ambition. I believe our staff and players demonstrate all of these values.

“I have immense pride in the work that has been carried out through both the good and challenging times. The support they have all provided to me is something I will never forget and I wish the Club every success for the future.”

Tottenham Hotspur Chief Executive, Vinai Venkatesham, said: “Andy has made a significant contribution to the growth and development of our Women’s team over the past three-and-a-half years.

“His leadership, professionalism, and tireless commitment to the Club has helped shape strong foundations for our Women’s players and staff, both on and off the pitch.

“We have been building on these foundations with a renewed, more ambitious vision for Spurs Women set at the start of this season, and this work will continue to accelerate as we look forward.

“We are incredibly grateful for all of Andy's work during his time here. He leaves with our very best wishes for the future and will always be part of the Spurs family."

Previously Head of Global Coaching, Andy had been instrumental in overseeing Player Development Programmes for young players and Coach Education Programmes both at home and abroad, developing a clear pathway from grassroots through to elite football.

SPURSPLAY

Full information on what fans can expect are below - including details about our latest South Stand tifo, our popular early bird drink offer and our latest collaboration with THFC Flags. We thank all of their volunteers for the time, effort and hard work they give to make these collaborations possible.

Here’s how you can get involved…

Wear something white!

Building on the powerful visual effect created in previous games, we’re encouraging all fans to wear something white to this game. Be sure to pick out your favourite home shirt from down the years to create a sea of Lilywhite throughout the stands!

South Stand tifo

We’re teaming up with THFC Flags to deliver another iconic visual welcome for our players as we ramp up the atmosphere before kick-off. As the teams enter the pitch, a tifo will rise throughout our South Stand to create a powerful display of togetherness and support.

We will email all ticket holders in our South Stand with further details and encourage fans in this area to get to their seats at least 15 minutes ahead of the 8pm kick-off.

Early Bird drink offer - buy one, have one on us!

We’re delighted to confirm that our early bird drink offer will be available again on Monday. The offer sees us provide a free drink with every drink bought within an hour of the stadium opening. It will run from 6pm to 7pm in general admission areas and from 5pm to 6pm in Premium areas. Beer, cider and soft drinks are all included, with fans able to purchase up to two paid drinks (4 in total) per transaction.

THFC Flags players’ tunnel artwork

For our remaining games this season, THFC Flags have designed and prepared new artwork for the players’ tunnel. As the players prepare to walk out onto the pitch, they will be greeted in the tunnel by inspiring photos of fans and the message from our supporters that we are all together, always.

THFC Flags are a fan-led organisation behind many of the fantastic displays we so often see in the stadium. They are supported on matchdays by an incredible team of volunteers, who are responsible for collecting, waving and returning the flags which have become synonymous with our famous South Stand. If this is something you’re keen to get involved in, you can contact them directly for more information.

Messages from Official Supporters’ Clubs

Our support on matchdays extends far beyond N17, and our Official Supporters’ Clubs are preparing a series of messages which will be played throughout the stadium in the build-up to kick-off, showcasing unity and support from our incredible global fanbase.

Our Head Coach has overseen a record-breaking campaign in England’s top flight as we cemented our spot in fifth position in the table following the victory over London City Lionesses last weekend, which also saw us record our highest-ever points tally (33) in a single WSL season - and with one game still left to play.

Joining us in the summer from SK Brann, following two successful years with the Norwegian outfit, Martin has made a significant impact in his first campaign in north London, with his side showing plenty of quality in the forward areas and resilience across the backline, preserving six clean sheets in the competition to date – the joint second-highest in the league.

Martin also claimed the league’s Manager of the Month award for the first time in his career – becoming just our second Head Coach to pick up the award in the competition – after an impressive February where we collected six points in three games, scoring nine goals.

Also in this shortlist for the award is Manchester City’s Andree Jeglertz and Arsenal’s Renee Slegers.

You can vote for Martin via the link below. Voting closes at 5pm on Wednesday 5 May.

The Manager of the Season award will be announced at the LMA dinner on Tuesday 26 May.

Wayne Burnett’s side advanced to the last four after a superb comeback victory at Chelsea last Friday, having won 1-0 at home to Leicester City in the round of 16.

Brighton, meanwhile, beat 10-man West Ham United in their quarter-final, having previously seen off Ipswich Town.

Tonight’s match represents our first Under-21 outing at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium since our Premier League 2 play-off final triumph against Sunderland in May, 2024.

Wayne and his players will be keen to emulate the success of that season this time around – make sure you get behind the team tonight!

Tickets are still available to come and watch the game at the stadium, priced at £10 for adults and £2 for juniors.

If you’re unable to be in N17 in person, the match will be streamed live on SPURSPLAY. Tune in just before kick-off at 7pm to enjoy all the action.