Tottenham XI vs Villarreal: Predicted lineup, confirmed team news, injury latest for Champions League today

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Evening Standard

·16 septembre 2025

Tottenham XI vs Villarreal: Predicted lineup, confirmed team news, injury latest for Champions League today

Thomas Frank may give first start to summer signing as Spurs return to Europe’s top club competition

Your matchday briefing on Tottenham, featuring team news and expert analysis from Matt Verri

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Tottenham could hand a debut to Deadline Day signing Randal Kolo Muani in their Champions League opener against Villarreal tonight.

Spurs are back at Europe’s top table and begin their campaign against the LaLiga side in north London, looking to build on their comfortable win over West Ham on Saturday.

Thomas Frank will be forced into at least one change from that match. Mathys Tel started up front at the London Stadium but he has been left out of Spurs’ squad for the league phase of this competition.

Richarlison is therefore expected to come back into the starting lineup, though Frank also has the option of giving Kolo Muani his first minutes in a Spurs shirt.

The Frenchman was an unused substitute against West Ham, with Frank previously speaking of the need to build his fitness, but he could feature against Villarreal.

"Randal Kolo Muani is ready,” Frank said at his pre-match press conference on Monday.

“How many minutes? They can always play more minutes than we think. If we needed him to play he could play 90 minutes, but can he play at the intensity and the level we want? He is ready and he is involved tomorrow and that is the most important thing."

Dominic Solanke remains out with the ankle injury that saw him miss most of pre-season and then ruled him out of recent matches against Bournemouth and West Ham.

Frank has decisions to make across the pitch. Destiny Udogie will hope to come in for his first start of the season at full-back, while Rodrigo Bentancur could also return after dropping out against West Ham.

Xavi Simons started on the left wing in that match and has some promising moments without really catching the eye. Frank could be tempted to shift him into the No10 role, but that would likely mean at least one of Lucas Bergvall or Pape Matar Sarr miss out and both have been in impressive form.

Predicted Tottenham XI (4-2-3-1): Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie; Palhinha, Bentancur; Kudus, Simons, Johnson; Richarlison

Injured: Solanke, Bissouma, Dragusin, Takai, Maddison, Kulusevski

Time and date: 8pm BST on Tuesday September 16, 2025

How to watch: Amazon Prime