Pedro Porro Returns for Pivotal Clash Against Aston Villa

Tottenham will have Pedro Porro back for what already feels like a pivotal afternoon against Aston Villa on Saturday – and Roberto de Zerbi is ready to double down on his attacking obsession.

The Spanish full-back, described as having a recent “muscular issue”, has missed Spurs’ last two matches, including Tuesday night’s 3-1 Carabao Cup exit at Liverpool. De Zerbi confirmed after that defeat that Porro will be available for the lunchtime Premier League kick-off in north London.

It comes at a curious moment for Spurs. Two league games, no league goals. Plenty of intent, little reward. De Zerbi is not blinking.

“I believe in my players, I have a big confidence, a big opinion of my players,” he said. “And when we arrive to find the click, to win a game, I think we enjoy with these players.”

That “click” is the word he keeps coming back to. The conviction is that once it arrives, the goals will follow in a flood rather than a trickle.

Kudus returns to the front line

One reason for that belief walked back into his starting XI at Anfield. Mohammed Kudus made his first Tottenham start since January, when a serious quad injury abruptly halted his season.

The Ghanaian’s comeback gives De Zerbi a different type of weapon – one who can threaten between the lines or run beyond defenders. The head coach could not hide his excitement at having him back in the mix.

“Kudus is another (who is) great news for us, because he can play also as a number 10,” De Zerbi said. “We can play with Savio, Kudus, (Dominic) Solanke and (Omar) Marmoush.”

Four forwards in the same breath, and he was not finished there.

Add the full-backs who behave like wingers and midfielders who happily join the front line, and De Zerbi sees a side capable of flooding the pitch with attacking threat. In his words, Spurs can play with “eight attackers”.

It is not a throwaway line. It is a manifesto.

Maddison the ‘special’ piece – once fully ready

That philosophy also shapes how he talks about James Maddison, still edging his way back after a brutal spell on the sidelines.

The England international has not started a game since May 2025 following a cruciate ligament tear. This season he has been limited to three substitute appearances as he also recovers from a shoulder fracture. Spurs have missed his craft, his ability to unlock deep defences, his set-piece delivery.

“Maddison is for sure a different player, a special player,” De Zerbi said. “But he has to be fit, he has to be in the right physical condition, because the Premier League intensity, even tonight, is incredible. And then we can play with eight attackers.”

There it is again: eight attackers. For De Zerbi, Maddison is not just another option; he is a trigger. Once fully fit, he allows Tottenham to lean even harder into their aggressive, front-foot identity.

For now, though, the task is simpler and more urgent. Spurs need a first Premier League goal of the season, and they need it quickly. With Porro back, Kudus starting to stretch his legs again, and Maddison inching towards a return to the XI, De Zerbi is arming himself for a game that could tell us plenty.

If this is the week the “click” finally comes, Aston Villa may feel the full force of those eight attackers.