Lateness costs Bissouma place in Spurs' Super Cup squad, Solanke fit
Frank also confirmed that striker Dominic Solanke will be available for the start of the new season despite featuring in only one of Spurs' pre-season friendlies due to an ankle injury.
Speaking on Tuesday before the European season curtain-raiser between the Champions League winners and second-tier Europa League champions, Frank said: "Bissouma has been late several times and now this time, it was one too many.
"With everything, you need to give your players a lot of love but also have demands and have consequences. And this was the consequence of that."
New arrival Joao Palhinha, on loan from Bayern Munich, could play in place of Ivorian-born Mali international Bissouma, though Tottenham will be without playmaker James Maddison, who faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines with an ACL injury. New manager Frank's tenure could start with a gleam of silverware if Spurs manage to defeat European champions PSG, who were beaten by Chelsea in last month's Club World Cup final. The Dane added that a lighter pre-season since Tottenham's Europa League triumph on May 21 could give his comparatively better-rested side an edge over the French team.
"We have had a more normal pre-season which is what every coach would prefer. In that way, it can be an advantage. But on the flip side, they have had a long season and played a lot of games recently," Frank said.
"It's the right time to face PSG. We are ready. I am 100pct convinced that it will be very super competitive tomorrow.
"But of course, over the whole season they are in a better place to perform better. But in a single game, we will be ready."
Though Spurs are without former captain Son Heung-min after his move to MLS side LAFC, Frank said their Argentine World Cup-winning defender Cristian Romero would be a key figure.
"Romero is going to be a very important and experienced player for the team. He is going to be a very, very big player for us tomorrow," he said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Straits Times
6 hours ago
- New Straits Times
PSG begin French title defence as Pogba returns home and Paris FC step up
PARIS: Paris Saint-Germain will be hoping a severely curtailed summer break does not come back to bite them as the Ligue 1 season begins this weekend, headlined by the newly-crowned European champions and featuring the return to France of Paul Pogba. It is just the second time that the French top flight has boasted the Champions League winners among its ranks, with PSG's success against Inter Milan in May following Marseille's triumph in 1993. Luis Enrique's team added the UEFA Super Cup on Wednesday as they came from two goals down against Tottenham before winning on penalties. The nature of that success was made all the more remarkable given they had just a week's pre-season training under their belts, and no friendly matches. That is after they went all the way to the Club World Cup final in the United States, their 3-0 defeat against Chelsea on July 13 bringing the curtain down on a marathon 65-game season. That did not take the shine off their achievement in winning the Champions League, but those exertions risk having an impact on Luis Enrique's players further down the line. "What we did last season had been the objective for all PSG supporters, for the whole club, and for everyone who played for the club," PSG's coach said this week. "Now we want to keep on making history, and that means winning consecutive Champions Leagues, so that is our objective. That is the dream." Put another way, continued European success is the priority over winning a 12th domestic title in 14 years. PSG are nevertheless overwhelming favourites to do that as they attack the season having added goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier from Lille to replace Gianluigi Donnarumma, and Ukrainian centre-back Illia Zabarnyi from Bournemouth. French football has been mired in crisis due to difficulties finding a domestic broadcast partner willing to offer the kind of money needed to help teams beyond PSG compete with their European counterparts. At the end of last season, the French league pulled the plug on a cut-price deal with streaming platform DAZN. Instead it has launched its own platform, a bold step which may succeed in the long run but for now means clubs have no guaranteed television income. Seven-time champions Lyon's woes almost led to them being relegated – they were initially demoted to Ligue 2 by French football's financial watchdog before successfully appealing that punishment. However, they were told they would have to cut their wage bill and transfer budget for this campaign and the future still looks uncertain – key players such as Rayan Cherki, Alexandre Lacazette and goalkeeper Lucas Perri have all departed. Marseille and Monaco completed the podium in Ligue 1 last season and surely have the best chance of challenging PSG this time. Monaco have signed Pogba on a two-year deal, giving the 2018 World Cup winner a chance to revive a career that has been stalled by injury and an 18-month doping ban. Pogba is now 32 and has hardly played in three years, but Monaco are hopeful he can help them make a real push at the top of the table. "The next step for us is to have a team that is mentally stronger, that really believes it can go far in the Champions League and challenge Paris," said Monaco CEO Thiago Scuro. Pogba has never previously played in France having left Le Havre for Manchester United as a teenager. Fellow 2018 World Cup winner Olivier Giroud, meanwhile, has returned to Ligue 1 aged 38 to join Lille. It remains to be seen what impact he might have, and whether Paris FC can feature prominently following promotion. They have big ambitions after a takeover last year by the Arnaults, one of the world's wealthiest families. It is the first time since 1990 that two Parisian teams have featured in the top flight, and the rivalry between them will be stoked by the fact Paris FC will play home games at the Stade Jean-Bouin – a stone's throw from PSG's Parc des Princes. Paris FC have already invested significant sums in the transfer market but will probably have to wait before seriously challenging their neighbours.
The Star
8 hours ago
- The Star
Soccer-Spurs criticise online racist abuse aimed at forward Tel
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Pre-Season Friendly - Luton Town v Tottenham Hotspur - Kenilworth Road, Luton, Britain - July 26, 2025 Tottenham Hotspur's Mathys Tel during the match Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers/File Photo (Reuters) -Tottenham Hotspur said on Thursday that they are "disgusted" by the online racial abuse aimed at French forward Mathys Tel after their UEFA Super Cup loss against Paris Saint-Germain. Europa League winners Spurs squandered a 2-0 lead as they lost to European champions PSG 4-3 on penalties in a dramatic Super Cup in Udine, Italy, on Wednesday. Tel and Dutch defender Micky van de Ven had missed their spot-kicks for Spurs during the shootout. "We are disgusted at the racial abuse that Mathys Tel has received on social media following last night's UEFA Super Cup defeat," Spurs said in a statement. "Mathys showed bravery and courage to step forward and take a penalty, yet those who abuse him are nothing but cowards - hiding behind anonymous usernames and profiles to spout their abhorrent views. "We will work with the authorities and social media platforms to take the strongest possible action against any individual we are able to identify. We stand with you, Mathys." Tel, 20, signed for Spurs on a permanent deal after a four-month loan spell at the Premier League club from German side Bayern Munich in June. (Reporting by Pearl Josephine Nazare in Bengaluru; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman)
Malay Mail
9 hours ago
- Malay Mail
‘Disgusted': Spurs slam online racist abuse aimed at forward Tel
LONDON, Aug 14 — Tottenham Hotspur said on Thursday that they are 'disgusted' by the online racial abuse aimed at French forward Mathys Tel after their Uefa Super Cup loss against Paris Saint-Germain. Europa League winners Spurs squandered a 2-0 lead as they lost to European champions PSG 4-3 on penalties in a dramatic Super Cup in Udine, Italy, on Wednesday. Tel and Dutch defender Micky van de Ven had missed their spot-kicks for Spurs during the shootout. 'We are disgusted at the racial abuse that Mathys Tel has received on social media following last night's Uefa Super Cup defeat,' Spurs said in a statement. 'Mathys showed bravery and courage to step forward and take a penalty, yet those who abuse him are nothing but cowards — hiding behind anonymous usernames and profiles to spout their abhorrent views. 'We will work with the authorities and social media platforms to take the strongest possible action against any individual we are able to identify. We stand with you, Mathys.' Tel, 20, signed for Spurs on a permanent deal after a four-month loan spell at the Premier League club from German side Bayern Munich in June. — Reuters
