JAN PAUL VAN HECKE hit out at Getafe’s rough-house tactics, claiming if it had been a proper game, the Spanish giants would have had “two or three” red cards.
Spurs drew 1-1 in a behind-closed-doors exhibition at their training ground with the La Liga side, with chalking off Albert Risco’s opener.
Spurs centre-back Jan Paul van Hecke condemned Getafe’s physicality following the friendly Credit: Shutterstock Editorial
Conor Gallagher’s goal kept Spurs’ unbeaten pre-season record intact as they drew with the Spanish side Credit: Shutterstock Editorial
But the 70-minute encounter did not feel much like a friendly at all, with Getafe, who have a reputation for being physical, putting in plenty of strong challenges.
Shoving matches ensued from two such incidents, with £100million signing particularly upset with the latter late on in the second half.
Centre-back Van Hecke, who like Tonali joined this summer in a £52m deal from Brighton, said: “Sometimes it’s good (to have a physical game).
“I thought today was a bit too much. A bit from their side, sometimes it’s not necessary, especially in a friendly.
“I think in a normal game maybe they have two or three red cards.
“But that’s also maybe the way they play. We knew beforehand that they can do it.
“But then it’s a friendly so sometimes you think maybe a bit less but on the other side we also need to be at our top then because if you don’t put in your foot then they are going to win it.
“If that’s what the game asks, you also need to put your foot in and battle with them otherwise they win the battles. That’s what you don’t want, that’s the first thing in football you need to win.
New signing Sandro Tonali was also upset with Getafe’s conduct Credit: Getty
“You saw sometimes it got a bit heated but that’s because of the reaction, if you get kicked then you’re going to react.”
Tottenham had plenty of the ball and looked far more solid as a unit than they have over the last few years but lacked ruthlessness in front of goal.
made two changes to the XI that started against Chelsea in Sydney, with – who copped some particularly rough treatment – and Richarlison coming into the side.
Youngster Moore took the place of Manor Solomon, who is in talks over a move to West Ham.
Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, expected to leave the club this summer, was among the subs for the first time this summer following a knock.
But there was no sign of the likes of , , or .
Though Spurs were playing another intra-squad friendly later in the day that was not televised which SunSport understands was due to involve other first-team players.
Ben Davies missed the best chance of the first, 35-minute half when planting his free header from Andy Robertson’s cross straight at the goalkeeper.
Risco then gave Getafe the lead against the run of play after a clever one-two and a fine finish which gave Antonin Kinsky no chance.
Yet Gallagher restored parity shortly after, racing onto a ball Richarlison had managed to keep alive while being bundled over, before finding the corner with a laser-like finish.
Richarlison should have won it at the end when Mathys Tel’s sumptuous ball picked him out but, like Davies in the first half, the Brazilian aimed his free header straight at the keeper.
It served as a reminder that for all the £237million splashed on fresh blood this summer, De Zerbi is still very much in need of better quality up top.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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