Tottenham Hotspur opened their 2026-27 pre-season on July 22, 2026, with a 1-0 victory over MK Dons at Hotspur Way. New signing Mateus Fernandes scored the match’s only goal with a first-half volley, marking a successful debut for the midfielder and manager Roberto De Zerbi.
The match served as a first glimpse into the tactical setup of Roberto De Zerbi, who utilized 21 different players throughout the 90 minutes. While the game lacked fluidity in long stretches, the final result was a 1-0 win for the North London side against a newly-promoted League One opponent.
Mateus Fernandes and the £185m Midfield Pivot
Three minutes into the contest, Mateus Fernandes announced his arrival with a first-time volley from the edge of the box that hit the post and went in. The 22-year-old Portuguese international, who joined from West Ham for £85m, was named man of the match for his performance.
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“It was my favourite goal of my career by a mile.”
Mateus Fernandes, Tottenham Midfielder
Fernandes operated in a double pivot alongside Sandro Tonali, a club-record £100m signing. Together, the pair represented a £185m investment in the midfield. According to Sky Sports, the duo gave Spurs complete control in the first half, with Tonali providing the steel and Fernandes offering the flair and forward passing that was often lacking in the previous season.
Goalkeeping Shifts and Squad Absentees
The match also featured the debut of 37-year-old goalkeeper Martin Dubravka, who entered at half-time. Sky Sports reported that Dubravka looked like an effective free-transfer acquisition, notably using his reflexes to stop a late, close-range header from MK Dons. He serves as a deputy to Antonin Kinsky, who started the game.
The presence of Kinsky and Dubravka has cast doubt on the future of Guglielmo Vicario, who was absent from the match. Tottenham revealed on Thursday that Vicario was left out of the 35-man squad for the upcoming tour of New Zealand and Australia due to a minor training knock.
Other notable absentees included Destiny Udogie, James Maddison, Micky van de Ven, and Lucas Bergvall.
Match Statistics and Tactical Control
| Category | Tottenham | MK Dons |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 71% | 29% |
| Shots | 9 | 5 |
| Shots on Target | 4 | 3 |
| Corners | 5 | 6 |
| Fouls | 10 | 9 |
SPURSPLAY and Streaming Access
The match was a behind-closed-doors
friendly, but it was made available to fans via streaming. MK Dons Chief Executive Officer Neil Hart expressed gratitude to Tottenham for collaborating to allow their supporters to watch the game via the ‘iFollow’ service for £5 per person.
“I would also like to extend a massive thank you to the team at Tottenham Hotspur for working with us on this to allow our supporters to watch the game.”
Neil Hart, Chief Executive Officer of MK Dons
Tottenham has integrated its pre-season coverage into the SPURSPLAY platform. For the 2026/27 season, a subscription is now included as a benefit for One Hotspur+ members. Non-members can subscribe for an annual fee of £45, which is reduced to £35 for One Hotspur members. The platform will stream all seven confirmed pre-season games, including the three scheduled for the tour of New Zealand and Australia.
Upcoming Tour and Fixtures
Tottenham’s preparations continue with a trip Down Under. Their next match is scheduled for July 25 against Auckland FC.
MK Dons, meanwhile, will play their fourth pre-season friendly against Wealdstone on July 25 as Paul Warne’s side prepares for their first campaign back in League One.
Worth a look