Over the last few days, you have been sending your questions in to Siggy and she is now here to answer them!
Check out her answers in the comments below...
The versatile defender and our longest-serving player, back from injury for his 13th season ahead, Ben timed his run to perfection to meet Luca Williams-Barnett’s cross after a short corner routine with returning James Maddison to level up Adam Hlozek’s penalty at 1-1 on 20 minutes.
Williams-Barnett continued his impressive pre-season with a precise finish from Pape Matar Sarr’s assist for 2-1 in added time in the first half before Valentin Gendrey levelled for the Bundesliga side in the second half.
That’s how it stayed as not only did we see Madders start his first game in over a year, but alongside him the likes of Mateus Fernandes, Rodrigo Bentancur, Kevin Danso plus Ben and Pape.
Speaking to presenter Ben Haines and legendary former striker and pundit Clive Allen on SPURSPLAY afterwards, here are Ben’s thoughts on the game…
Q1 | Let’s start with your goal - a great cross and great finish…
Ben: “I should have scored last week, to be fair! I was making up for that one! It's something we work on quite a lot. We saw how important it was for us last season in the league, how important set-pieces are, where they changed a lot of games for us. It's part of the game now where you have to get those details right and when the quality is on the ball like that, it makes it pretty easy.”
Q2 | How important are the first-time crosses? We saw the same with Andy Robertson to Richarlison on Saturday…
Ben: “I think the biggest thing it gives is that the defensive line's not set. They don't have a chance to get ready. I think it probably looks to a few people it might have been offside, but I don't know if their back line gets out quickly enough because of how quickly the ball comes in. It's a great ball and I'm happy to have nicked one there.”
Q3 | Can you tell us where we are tactically at the moment?
Ben: “I think when the manager came in towards the end of last season, it was a very different situation, desperate for results. You've seen this pre-season, we've tried to play a lot with the ball. You can see our midfielders are very confident to get on it, try to play forward as much as they can. We're hoping we'll have a lot of the ball. We'll have to be patient at times. We're not going to try and just constantly force the ball to try and score goals, but everything comes with a reason, we're moving the opposition around to be able to create chances. The manager is obviously trying to implement that. I think Richy's goal yesterday and Luca's goal today, if you actually look at it, we're pretty calm with the ball, we're moving it around, it doesn't look like a lot's happening, but then one pass into Pape or one pass into Sandro, and all of a sudden, the ball's in the back of the net in a couple of passes. It's all with a reason.”
Q4 | How do you feel the younger players have got on over the course of pre-season? It feels like they’ve all stepped up…
Ben: “Definitely. It's exactly what you need for the club and also for us as a first team prepping for the season. It's a big opportunity for these boys to come and show the manager what they can do. I remember when I was coming through at Swansea - it was pre-season and that gives you the opportunity to be around the first team. I'm sure some of these boys have taken it and hopefully we'll see them get their chances this year as well.”
Q5 | Finally, it’s season number 13 for you at Spurs – how are you feeling?
Ben: “I’m feeling really good. I'm really happy. I've got another 90 minutes under my belt, so very happy. I'm feeling fit.”
Just 24 hours after the two sides met with our 3-0 win at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, we faced off again against the Bundesliga side with a completely different starting XI. This team had the likes of Mateus Fernandes, James Maddison, Rodrigo Bentancur, Pape Matar Sarr, Ben Davies and Kevin Danso – with Maddison making his first start in almost a year since his serious knee injury.
Behind closed doors and in the glorious sunshine at our Enfield training base, the first sight at goal for either side fell our way on 12 minutes when Damola Ajayi had a shot blocked after great work from Williams-Barnett but the visitors were in front a few minutes later. Maddison received the ball from Brandon Austin inside our own box and was immediately closed down by Leon Avdullahu, who robbed him of the ball and the England midfielder brought him down for a penalty. Up stepped Adam Hlozek to convert right-footed past Austin.
Shortly after, we fashioned a good chance which ended with Fernandes sending in a tempting low cross just out of reach of Sarr and Vladimir Coufal almost put the ball into his own net. Instead, he conceded a corner from which Fernandes received a return pass from the short corner and his lovely cross was glanced into the bottom corner by Davies for the equaliser.
The visitors then had a number of efforts at goal, Coufal with a free-kick into the side-netting before Nathan De Cat fizzed a yard wide with a curling 30-yard shot.
Four minutes before the break, Adam Daghim suddenly found himself through on goal but Austin stood tall and blocked his eventual shot, before we grabbed the lead right on the stroke of half-time. An excellent turn in midfield from Sarr allowed him to advance towards the Hoffenheim box, he then laid the ball off to Williams-Barnett whose first-time, low curling drive beat Luca Philipp to give us a 2-1 half-time advantage.
Roberto De Zerbi made just the one change at half-time with Reiss Elliott-Parris replacing Maddison while the visitors changed all 10 of their outfield players and were level 10 minutes into the second period. Austin had already made a good stop to keep out Alex Honajzer’s free-kick but could do nothing about Valentin Gendrey’s excellent side-foot volley from a deep cross from their left.
Danso almost restored our lead but hit the crossbar with a powerful header from Williams-Barnett’s cross before a long spell without any real goalmouth action. Then, with five minutes remaining, two of our substitutes combined as Harry Byrne clipped over a deep cross which Miracle Adewole headed over the bar but that was the last of the chances and we had to settle for the draw.
The friendlies are now over and we can now look forward with excitement to the start of the Premier League campaign, when we visit Brentford next Saturday, kick-off at 5.30pm.
Line-ups
Spurs (4-3-3): Austin, Tye Hall, Danso, Davies, Souza (Byrne 69), Fernandes, Sarr (Donley 87), Bentancur, Williams-Barnett (Tyrese Hall 87), Maddison (Elliott-Parris 46), Ajayi (Adewole 69). Substitutes (not used): Jack, Takai, Hardy.
Hoffenheim (4-4-2): Philipp, Coufal (Abraha 46), Hranac (Chaves 46), Hajdari (c) (Spranger 46), Rots (Bernardo 46), Wimmer (Lemperle 46), Avdullahu (Burger 46), De Cat (Honajzer 46), Daghim (Lenz 46), Conte (Moerstedt 46), Hlozek (Vogt 32 (Gendrey 46)). Substitutes (not used): Baumann, Biedermann, Kabak, Machida.
Match data
Goals: Spurs – Davies 20, Williams-Barnett 45+2; Hoffenheim – Hlozek 16 penalty, Gendrey 55.
Referee: Ruebyn Ricardo.
Venue: Hotspur Way.
Weather: Light cloud, light winds, 25 degrees.
Behind Closed Doors.
Today we will face them in a behind-closed-doors game at Hotspur Way - but you can watch all the action LIVE on SPURSPLAY.
Here’s all you need to know...
What time does the match start?
Kick-off will be at 12noon.
How can I watch the game?
The match against Hoffenheim will be shown live on SPURSPLAY, subject to availability in your region*. Find out more about SPURSPLAY and how you can access the service here.
As usual, we will also bring supporters live text updates via our Match Centre today here on our official app and website.
*SPURSPLAY live stream not available in Austria, Germany or Switzerland.
What is the team news?
There is expected to be wholesale changes to the side which started yesterday's 3-0 win at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for the game today.
Roberto De Zerbi said in his post-match interview on SPURSPLAY, "It was a good performance, a good day because we needed to increase and to improve the physical condition. For that, we decided to play 75 minutes for every player and tomorrow we play again (against Hoffenheim at Hotspur Way, 12 noon) with the players who didn't play today."
Which kit will the team be wearing?
As we did yesterday, we’ll be wearing our 2026/27 home kit, featuring Lilywhite shirts, navy blue shorts and white socks.
How will we fare in second match against Hoffenheim? Play the Predictor
Moving onto our ninth day of the performance camp, which has already included two pre-season friendlies against Liga F sides Granada and Real Madrid, the squad were back out on the pitch under the sweltering sun, with the temperature at around 34 degrees.
The players were put through their paces once again as we prepare for the start of the Women’s Super League – which is just under a month away.
Check out the latest photos from training in our gallery below…
Stepping out at the stadium for the first time since May, 2025, 15 months older - although still only 19! – and with a season’s loan experience at Rangers in the SPL under his belt, Mikey struck twice in the second half to secure victory against a team that finished fifth in the Bundesliga last season.
Playing off the right, Mikey did superbly to lose defender Tristan Spranger and convert Mathys Tel’s cross before the pair combined again, this time Mikey controlling Mathys’ pass before finishing low beyond Oliver Baumann. Mikey’s first double was the icing on the cake for almost 55,000 fans in N17 after Richarlison fired us into the lead in the first half.
Speaking on SPURSPLAY afterwards, Mikey told us: “It felt really good to be back out there in this unbelievable stadium, playing with the boys again and to score two was a nice feeling. It was my first one (double) in professional football, obviously it's pre-season, but yeah, it felt really good.
“It's been good, getting back into rhythm. Obviously, we've had a long break and now physically it's starting to feel better, technically as well. I think I'm building my way into it. I showed a lot more today and I thought I did quite well, so hopefully I can build on that.”
As for pre-season work under the watchful eye of Roberto, Mikey added: “He's very, very intense, clear in all of his ideas and he makes sure that we all know that. He won't give you a second to be sloppy on the ball or off the ball.
“I'm learning a lot from that, where I know that I can't switch off on my touch. I think there might have been one in the first half today and he's going to call me out on it! So, he's telling me that's not good enough and I'm like, ‘yeah, fair enough’. You're not going to get away with it. He's been unbelievable.”
Mikey Moore stole the show with two second half goals, both assisted by Mathys Tel, but it was far from one-way traffic against the team that finished fifth in the Bundesliga last season as Antonin Kinsky was tested on a few occasions and Adam Hlozek clipped the crossbar.
The visitors’ open style and our front-foot intent meant an entertaining encounter as almost 55,000 fans returned ‘home’ to N17.
They got to see four of our new signings – Jan Paul van Hecke, Marcos Senesi, Andy Robertson and Sandro Tenali – all play at home for the first time with Robertson key to the opening goal on 35 minutes, a clever cut back picked out Richarlison, who swept home first-time with his left foot.
Moore did superbly to get across his defender and finish Tel’s cross on 59 minutes and had a bit more to do after another Tel run set him up on 80 minutes, this time taking a great touch before finishing across Oliver Baumann into the corner.
Speaking to SPURSPLAY afterwards, Roberto reflected: “It was a good performance, a good day because we needed to increase and to improve the physical condition. For that, we decided to play 75 minutes for every player and tomorrow we play again (against Hoffenheim at Hotspur Way, 12 noon) with the players who didn't play today.
“We suffered in the first half without the ball because the style of Hoffenheim is clear, it's different, it's a particular style, they move, make a lot of rotation. In the second half, we defended better and with the ball, I think we played well, built up well, created many chances.
“It was a challenge playing against a team who plays with this style of play. When you prepare the game, you have the reference, the player in the specific position. If the opponent moves, they go around the pitch, they put many players over the line of the ball.
“If you regain the ball, you can go to score because in the first half, we had Mathys Tel, Lucas Bergvall, Conor Gallagher. In the second half, we had two chances and we could score. It was a good day.”
