James Maddison made the Tottenham matchday squad for the first time this season against Brighton.
James Maddison was spotted in team training last week ahead of Tottenham Hotspur’s home game against Brighton and Hove Albion, which got the fans excited. On Saturday, he was surprisingly involved in a Tottenham matchday squad for the first time this season.
The England international is yet to feature for the North Londoners this season and is still working his way back from the ACL injury he suffered in South Korea during last summer’s pre-season friendly against Newcastle United. James Maddison has been teasing the fans about his return, and the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium faithful were pleasantly surprised to see him named on the bench against Brighton.
The creative midfielder remained an unused substitute, as Spurs were held to a frustrating 2-2 draw by Fabian Hurzeler’s side.
Why did James Maddison not come off the bench vs. Brighton?
According to a report from GIVEMESPORT, Maddison was never likely in contention to feature against Brighton, and his inclusion in the squad was a ‘symbolic’ gesture by Roberto De Zerbi to demonstrate ‘good times’ are returning. The Spurs boss decided to name the midfielder in the squad to lift the spirits of the players and fans ahead of the game.
The 29-year-old’s leadership and experience are valued highly at the club, and De Zerbi wanted the morale of the squad to be high following his inclusion, even though he never had plans to play him. The Italian tactician brought in the likes of Joao Palhinha, Archie Gray, Mathys Tel, Djed Spence, and Lucas Bergvall at different intervals to try and change the game.
This shows Maddison is clearly not fit enough to play yet, having ruptured his ACL at the start of August 2025. Having been out for almost nine months, the English star needs more time on the training pitches to get the green signal from the medical department.
Reports from last week suggested the Spurs ace could be around two weeks away from a return to first-team action. If this claim holds up, fans could see Maddison get minutes in the final four games against Aston Villa, Leeds United, Chelsea and Everton in May. Should he get back to fitness in the coming weeks, Maddison could well be like a new signing for De Zerbi as his Tottenham side looks to avoid relegation.
Don’t be surprised if our Number 10 is also included in the travelling matchday squad against Wolves on Saturday!