Brentford thrash Tottenham 3-0 in opening Premier League round
Brentford defeated Tottenham 3-0 at home in the opening match of the new English Premier League season. Tottenham, who spent significant sums rebuilding their squad during the off-season, failed to register a single shot on target in the first half and were outmatched by the hosts in duels, Channel NewsAsia reports, citing Reuters.
Tottenham newcomers
Tottenham head coach Roberto De Zerbi named four new players in the starting lineup: Sandro Tonali, Jan Paul van Hecke, Marcos Senesi and Andy Robertson. Midfielder Mateus Fernandes, whose transfer cost £85 million, made his debut after the break.
According to Reuters, Tottenham's off-season transfer spending could exceed £300 million. Before that, the team finished the league in 17th place in two consecutive seasons and avoided relegation only on the final day of the season in May.
Coach's assessment
De Zerbi said the difference in duels was decisive: according to the coach, his team did not compete properly. He also linked the insufficient physical readiness of some players to their late return after the World Cup and the large number of newcomers in the squad.
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The coach stressed that Tottenham need to analyse the match in greater detail, as the team cannot play like that in such fixtures.
Brentford's performance
Brentford demonstrated cohesion following a relatively restrained transfer campaign. The club's record signing, Mamadou Sangare, bought from Lens for £39 million, assisted Vitaly Janelt for the second goal.
Keith Andrews' team retained key players, including Igor Thiago, Dango Ouattara, Kevin Schade and Michael Kayode. Andrews, who replaced Thomas Frank after his move to Tottenham in 2025, said he was pleased with the team's condition and its interaction on the pitch.
