Roberto De Zerbi has explained why James Maddison remained an unused substitute during Tottenham’s 1-0 defeat to Leeds on Saturday, revealing that the midfielder had not completed a full training session before the match.

Maddison returned to training with the group on Thursday, but De Zerbi indicated that his preparation had been limited after his recent absence.

The Spurs head coach said the 29-year-old had worked for only around a day and a half by the time the team travelled to Elland Road.

De Zerbi was asked about his decision not to introduce Maddison and explained that he had considered using him, but ultimately opted for Luca Williams-Barnett instead.

“Maddison started to work with the group on Thursday, but no total training. Today and yesterday, he worked just one day, one day and a half. It could be a solution, yes, but in that moment, I thought Kudus was tired, too tired, and in that position, Luca, in one-to-one, I mean, his speed is better than James. But in the future, when James is fit, we already know he plays, no?”

Roberto De Zerbi, via Tottenham Hotspur

The Italian’s explanation suggests Maddison’s absence was primarily about his fitness and match readiness, rather than a change in his standing within the squad.

De Zerbi pointed to Williams-Barnett’s greater pace in one-on-one situations as the reason for choosing the youngster when Mohammed Kudus was tiring.

“When James is fit, we already know he plays,” De Zerbi added, making clear that he expects Maddison to return to a key role once he is fully ready.

Maddison had been expected to be in contention after returning to group training, with De Zerbi previously discussing the midfielder’s possible return ahead of the Leeds fixture.

However, Tottenham fans are frustrated that Maddison increasingly cannot be relied upon due to ongoing fitness worries.