Welcome Romero boost and Odobert impact as Spurs opponent sends critical warning

The international break has provided a temporary pause in Tottenham Hotspur’s turbulent 2024/25 season, offering Ange Postecoglou and his squad a chance to regroup ahead of a crucial run of fixtures.

With the majority of Spurs’ players representing their respective nations, the club will be hoping their stars return to Hotspur Way unscathed and ready to tackle the challenges that lie ahead. Tottenham’s inconsistent form has left them languishing in the bottom half of the Premier League table, but their Europa League campaign offers a glimmer of hope for salvaging the season.

A quarter-final clash against Eintracht Frankfurt in early April presents an opportunity to secure silverware and end the campaign on a high note.

Several Tottenham players have been in action for their national teams this week, with mixed results. Mikey Moore, the highly-rated Spurs youngster, made an impact off the bench for England’s Under-19s in their 2-0 victory over Wales.

Introduced in the 72nd minute, Moore provided an assist just 12 minutes later, setting up Shumaira Mheuka for the second goal. His performance underlined his growing reputation as one of England’s most promising talents.

South Korea’s World Cup qualifier against Oman ended in a 1-1 draw, with Tottenham captain Son Heung-min playing the full 90 minutes. However, Yang Min-hyeok, another Spurs prospect, remained an unused substitute. Son and his teammates will look to bounce back when they face Jordan in their next qualifier.

Pedro Porro featured prominently for Spain in their 2-2 draw against the Netherlands in the UEFA Nations League quarter-finals. The right-back played the entire match and will aim to replicate his performance in the second leg as Spain seek to advance to the semi-finals.

Meanwhile, Destiny Udogie played the full 90 minutes for Italy in their 2-1 defeat to Germany, while Guglielmo Vicario watched from the bench as Gianluigi Donnarumma started in goal.

Yves Bissouma enjoyed a much-needed confidence boost with Mali, providing two assists in a 3-0 victory over Comoros. The midfielder, who has struggled for consistency at Tottenham, will hope to carry this form into Mali’s next match against the Central African Republic and, ultimately, back to club duty.

In a high-profile World Cup qualifier, Cristian Romero and Rodrigo Bentancur faced off as Argentina defeated Uruguay 1-0. Romero played the full 90 minutes, a positive sign for Tottenham as the defender continues to regain match fitness following his recent injury.

Bentancur also completed the match for Uruguay, with both players set to feature again in their nations’ upcoming qualifiers.

France’s Under-21s secured a thrilling 5-3 victory over England’s Under-21s, with Tottenham’s Wilson Odobert and Mathys Tel representing France. Odobert impressed with two assists, while Archie Gray came off the bench for England in the final 12 minutes.

Odobert’s performance, in particular, served as a reminder of his talent ahead of Tottenham’s Europa League clash with Eintracht Frankfurt, where they will face Hugo Ekitike, who scored a hat-trick in the match.

Dominic Solanke, yet to make his England debut under new manager Thomas Tuchel, was an unused substitute in the 2-0 win over Albania. He will hope for an opportunity when England face Latvia at Wembley.

Meanwhile, Dane Scarlett and Ashley Phillips featured for the England Elite League squad in a 1-1 draw with Portugal. Scarlett, who captained the side, scored his 11th goal in as many appearances for England’s youth teams, further staking his claim for more minutes at Tottenham.

Jamie Donley made his senior international debut for Northern Ireland, coming off the bench in their 1-1 draw against Switzerland. The Leyton Orient loanee nearly marked his debut with a goal, only to be denied by a superb save from Swiss goalkeeper Gregor Kobel.

Donley could earn his first start when Northern Ireland face Sweden, where he may come up against Tottenham teammate Lucas Bergvall, provided the Swedish midfielder recovers from illness in time.

As the international break draws to a close, Tottenham will be eager to welcome their players back fit and ready for the challenges ahead.

With key Europa League fixtures and a push for a stronger Premier League finish on the horizon, Postecoglou will need his squad at full strength to turn their season around.

The performances of Spurs’ internationals during the break offer both encouragement and reminders of the talent within the squad, providing a foundation for optimism as the club looks to end the campaign on a positive note.