Sports
Tottenham vs Slavia Prague Player Ratings and Match Highlights
Tottenham moved into the top eight – if only for 24 hours – of the UEFA Champions League league phase with a comfortable win over Slavia Prague at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Tuesday night.
Spurs took the lead in the 26th minute, although it was not through one of their players.
A corner was flicked on by Cristian Romero and Slavia defender David Zima got his positioning all wrong and sent a super header, it has to be said, beyond his own goalkeeper.
Soon after the restart it was 2-0. Pedro Porro got in on the right side of the box and as he went to cross the ball was scythed down by Youssoupha Sanyang and the referee pointed to the spot. Rather surprisingly Richarlison did not step up, with Mohammed Kudus instead taking responsibility and he coolly slotted straight down the middle.
Another penalty secured the win and this time it was dispatched by Xavi Simons. He had won it, after being upended in the box and despite the keeper getting a hand to it, it found the bottom corner, to the delight of the South Stand.
GIVEMESPORT was inside the stadium to rate the players.
Match Highlights
To follow…
Tottenham player ratings
Guglielmo Vicario – 6
Made a couple of good saves low down from long-range strikes. Got a little bit lucky winning a free-kick when he came out to punch a ball into the box and got nowhere near it.
Pedro Porro – 6
Won the penalty at the start of the second half, scythed down by Youssoupha Sanyang as he tried to get a cross in. That was after a quiet first 45 minutes to be fair.
Cristian Romero – 6
Played a sensational ball through from the back to split the Slavia defence for Kudus to run on to and almost open the scoring. Won the flick-on from a corner that led to the own goal opening the scoring. Looked a bit shaky at the back, but the quality of opposition was not there to really trouble him.
Micky van de Ven – 6
Somewhat ridiculously booked for walking back with the ball for a Slavia free-kick when they were not ready to take it with the injured player still on the floor. Was he delaying a restart? Sometimes gave the forwards a little too much space and was caught out trying to go on one of his marauding runs. Similar to Romero, didn’t have his best game, but did not need to.
Djed Spence – 7
Got down the left well and found himself as the furthest man forward on a couple of occasions, too. Inverted from wing-back a couple of times, which was pleasing to see. Had a late shot well saved by the keeper.
Joao Palhinha – 7
Went looking for the ball from his defenders so often. Had the time and space to do that with Slavia not pressing that high. Could not believe he was booked for a sliding tackle having won the ball.
Archie Gray – 7
So calm on the ball. Not afraid to make a tackle either. Looks so assured in the middle of the park and was called on to shoot by the fans every time he got near the opposing 18-yard box. Brought off after 57 minutes, perhaps to preserve him for the weekend, such is his growing emphasis on this team.
Xavi Simons – 9
Looked to be man-marked early on and struggled to see much of the ball, but slowly grew into the game as he used his quality to find space for himself and was excellent thereafter. Should have been found with a few good forward runs and was taken out on a couple of occasions as he strode forward with the ball. Got a shot away late on that the keeper saved well down at his near post and then coolly slotted home the second penalty of the night that he won. Even had time to make a superb sliding tackle late on.
Mohammed Kudus – 8
Looked dangerous down the right for the entirety of the first half. Did slow things down on a couple of occasions when he could have released the ball quicker to put Spurs in dangerous territory, although he comfortably dispatched the penalty at the start of the second half to give Tottenham breathing space. Brought off soon after that goal to get a rest for the weekend.
Richarlison – 7
Had to score in the first minute. Denied by a brilliant Jindrich Stanek save, but the replay showed he had the whole goal to aim at and pretty much struck it straight at the keeper who made a fine reaction save to be fair. Won flick-ons and tested the keeper from 25 yards with a fine hit too. On another night could have had a couple. Was as muchof a menace as he could be.
Wilson Odobert – 6
Got at the right-back in the very first minute and should have had an assist for a fine ball across the box to Richarlison who should have scored. Was excellent in the first half but faded a little bit in the second half, as he could not quite have the same impact as he had in the first.
Substitutes
Mathys Tel – 7
On for Kudus after 57 minutes for his Champions League debut for Spurs. Brought a fine save out of Stanek with some neat footwork to deceive his man. Unselfishly took the ball for the second penalty and made a point of handing it to Simons to take. Really looked like he had a point to prove.
Pape Matar Sarr – 7
On for Gray after 57 minutes and looked dangerous straight away. Could have scored when Tel’s saved shot fell to him but his follow-up was also saved. Got on the ball from deep and drove at the Slavia defence.
Randal Kolo Muani – 7
Came on for Richarlison after 67 minutes. Brilliant chested layoff for Xavi Simons to win the penalty that the Dutchman dispatched himself was worthy of an extra mark too.
Ben Davies – 6
On for Porro after 67 minutes and got a really good ovation from the supporters.
Lucas Bergvall – 6
Late replacement for Odobert. It was his fine ball into the box that led to the second penalty.
Sports
Man City Enter Liverpool and Arsenal Race for Ayyoub Bouaddi
Manchester City have now entered the race to beat Liverpool and Arsenal to a signing in the summer transfer window.
It’s already looking like a summer transfer window where the top clubs in the Premier League are all competing for similar targets.
The midfield market is going crazy at the moment, and it seems every top-six side in the Premier League is pushing to add another body in the middle of the park.
Clubs will always be fearful when a side like Manchester City enters the race, as they certainly aren’t afraid to splash the cash in the market.
Man City are already pushing to bring in a new midfielder, with reports confirming that they have now agreed a deal to sign Nottingham Forest star Elliot Anderson.
City are preparing for life under a new manager, with GIVEMESPORT sources confirming that Enzo Maresca will replace Pep Guardiola, although his appointment is yet to be confirmed.
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Man City Enter Liverpool and Arsenal Race
According to Fabrizio Romano on YouTube, Manchester City have entered the race to sign Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi.
“Manchester City have a genuine interest in Bouaddi. He’s one of the players being considered by Manchester City, eventually for summer 2027. The starting idea, then lets see how conversations develop, could be to go for the player in 2027.”
The Premier League side want to sign the Moroccan international in 2027 rather than now, and they face competition from both Arsenal and Liverpool.
“Arsenal and Liverpool had meetings before the World Cup for this boy. Both clubs were already tracking him. Manchester City are in the conversation for 2027.”
Whether Manchester City not being keen until 2027 impacts Bouaddi’s future remains to be seen, as Arsenal or Liverpool could make a move in the summer of 2026.
Another season playing regularly in Ligue 1 might not be bad for Bouaddi’s development before making the move to Man City next summer.
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Man City Could Miss Out on Bouaddi
Manchester City could miss out on the signing of Bouaddi, described as a ridiculous talent, in the summer of 2027, as there’s a strong chance that Arsenal or Liverpool make a move this year.
If Liverpool and Arsenal know that Man City have an interest, they might want to make a move quickly in order to get ahead in the race.
Bouaddi is already enjoying a strong World Cup for Morocco, so there is every chance that another club enters the race to secure his signature.
This could make it difficult for City to beat the likes of Liverpool and Arsenal for his signature, especially if he is keen on making a move in the coming weeks and months.
Sports
Tottenham Eyeing Man City Forward Omar Marmoush
Tottenham are showing an interest in signing a new forward in the summer transfer window as an alternative to Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo.
After solving their defensive issues earlier in the window, attention for Tottenham can now turn to strengthening in other positions.
Marcos Senesi, Andy Robertson and Jan-Paul Van Hecke have all arrived through the door at the back, while they have also been focusing on midfield additions.
Reports have claimed that Spurs have submitted a £100m bid to sign Newcastle United’s Sandro Tonali. The North London club are also in the race to sign West Ham United midfielder Mateus Fernandes, though they face competition from fellow Premier League side Manchester United.
Alongside the defensive and midfield signings, they could also look to strengthen in the final third.
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Tottenham are pushing to sign the midfielder.
Tottenham Eyeing Premier League Forward
According to reports, Tottenham are interested in signing Liverpool forward Gakpo in the summer transfer window, but they also have an alternative target.
It’s claimed that Manchester City forward Omar Marmoush is also an option for Spurs, despite him having a sky-high asking price.
The Egyptian international could also cost a lot in terms of wages, with Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg claiming that he earns around £280,000 a week at the Etihad Stadium.
Marmoush, described as ‘world-class’ by Flashscore journalist Anton Latuska, has struggled to cement himself as a guaranteed starter for Manchester City of late. That may change now Pep Guardiola has gone, but he started just eight Premier League games for City last season.
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Marmoush Could be Smart Signing for Tottenham
The signing of Marmoush could be a smart one for Tottenham in the summer transfer window.
The Manchester City forward is a versatile option in the final third, capable of playing as a centre forward, as a number ten, or even out wide.
It will be interesting to see where De Zerbi plans on playing the Egyptian international if he does make the move, but his versatility alone could be crucial.
It is clear that Tottenham are targeting a particular profile of forward in the summer, given the links to Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo, who can also play all across the front line.
Sports
Five Players Tottenham Can Sign Instead Of Sandro Tonali
Tottenham are reportedly in advanced talks to sign Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali, although if the prospective deal for the Italian proves too expensive, the Lilywhites may be forced to pivot to alternative targets.
Tonali enjoyed an outstanding 2025/26 campaign for the Magpies, scoring three goals and providing six assists in 53 appearances across all competitions. This form has sparked interest from a host of clubs, including Spurs and Arsenal.
Despite this interest from the Premier League champions, Tottenham seemingly lead the way for the 26-year-old and have reportedly offered him a mouth-watering £275,000-a-week contract.
That said, this doesn’t mean Tonali’s move to North London is a done deal. According to various reports, Newcastle could hold out for around £100million, which would surely prompt Spurs to at least consider other options.
Thus, GIVEMESPORT have identified five alternative targets Tottenham could look at if they are ultimately unable to secure the services of Tonali.
Angelo Stiller
Age: 25
Club: Stuttgart
Tottenham’s most pressing midfield issue last season was arguably the lack of ball progression. The likes of Conor Gallagher, Joao Palhinha and Rodrigo Bentancur have desirable attributes, but getting the ball up the pitch through passing isn’t part of their repertoire.
Tonali also doesn’t excel in this aspect of the game, but Stuttgart’s Angelo Stiller does. Stiller is renowned for his exceptional range of passing, and this is reflected in his impressive ball progression statistics.
The 25-year-old has been on the market for a couple of windows now and is yet to be snapped up by a big club, despite enjoying two outstanding seasons in the Bundesliga. He reportedly has a £35 million release clause in his contract, and Spurs should leap at this opportunity if the move for Tonali falls flat.
Adam Wharton
Age: 22
Club: Crystal Palace
If Spurs are on the hunt for a pure midfield passer, then they should look no further than Adam Wharton. While Crystal Palace aren’t likely to sanction a deal for a fee that doesn’t closely resemble the asking price for Tonali, investing in a younger player with higher upside might make more sense regardless.
Spurs have already been linked with Wharton, and while the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United are also said to be in the race, Roberto De Zerbi may be able to offer the Englishman more certainty and more of a defined role at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Wharton would fit the former Brighton manager’s style like a glove. De Zerbi’s build-up patterns are all about drawing the press in before playing round it with smart and incisive passes. Wharton’s best attribute is his forward passing in between the lines.
Mateus Fernandes
Age: 21
Club: West Ham United
Like Wharton, Mateus Fernandes would represent a smart long-term acquisition for Tottenham. The North London side aren’t likely to win a major honour in the next two or three years, and thus, signing a younger player who can develop with De Zerbi’s project makes more sense than going big on a player in his prime in Tonali.
Spurs have reportedly been given the ‘green light’ to sign Fernandes, and there are suggestions that he could be added alongside the Newcastle man. Whether or not this is plausible financially remains to be seen, but Fernandes alone would suffice.
The West Ham midfielder thrived in a disjointed Hammers side last season, displaying his defensive tenacity, invention in possession and physical prowess. In a more settled system under De Zerbi, he could easily reach another level.
Manu Kone
Age: 25
Club: Roma
Currently impressing for France at the World Cup, Manu Kone is looking for a new club this summer. He’s been linked with Arsenal, although he may ultimately make more sense for Spurs.
While reports indicate that Kone has given the Gunners priority over Tottenham, De Zerbi should have the ability to seduce the Frenchman. The likes of Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi would block Kone’s minutes at the Emirates, while at Tottenham, his robust style could see him become the main man in the middle of the park in N17.
Given that he’d be arriving from overseas and with significantly less pedigree than the likes of Tonali, Wharton and Fernandes, Kone could cost considerably less, and thus preserve funds for other transfers.
Ayyoub Bouaddi
Age: 18
Club: Lille
If Tottenham really want to build for the long-term, then they should consider signing one of the hottest midfield prospects in Europe. Ayyoub Bouaddi is the subject of intense interest from the likes of Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain, but once again, Tottenham could sell a more enticing project to the youngster.
At the Emirates or the Parc des Princes, Bouaddi’s minutes are likely to be somewhat limited, particularly in the short-term. This could stall his development, while at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, he would play regularly from the outset.
He boasts similar attributes to Tonali in his ability to cover ground and carry out defensive work, making him an excellent alternative.
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