Pedro Porro out of Spain duty as Tottenham suffer fresh hamstring injury blow
Tottenham right-back Pedro Porro has withdrawn from Spain's Nations League squad after suffering a hamstring injury in the 3-2 home defeat to Aston Villa. The 27-year-old lasted just 19 minutes at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, leaving Spurs short before a daunting trip to Manchester United on October 10.
- Player: Pedro Porro (Tottenham Hotspur, right-back)
- Injury: Hamstring, sustained early against Aston Villa
- Replaced by: Archie Gray in the 19th minute
- Withdrawn from: Spain's four-match Nations League schedule, including England at Wembley
- Next fixture: Manchester United away, October 10
- Context: Tottenham winless in the league, sitting in the relegation zone
What was said
"Listen, Pedro, I said after the World Cup, I said the management of Pedro should be different, because after the World Cup, many games. I don't know what the problem is. It's a hamstring, I think. Hopefully, it's not a big problem."
De Zerbi's words stop short of a diagnosis but confirm the obvious: Spurs fear a genuine lay-off. The manager also clarified that Mateus Fernandes coming off at half-time against Villa was not injury-related, and that Mathys Tel's omission was a "technical decision".
Spain have selected Porro for a demanding four-match Nations League window, including a trip to Wembley to face England, plus fixtures against Croatia and the Czech Republic. No replacement has been called up, underlining the timing and nature of the withdrawal.
Injury and availability
Porro's setback stretches a Tottenham injury list that already includes Mykhailo Mudryk, Dejan Kulusevski, Xavi Simons and Wilson Odobert. Porro had only just returned to regular action after an extended summer break following Spain's World Cup success in North America — the Villa match was his third start of the season.
He had already missed games this season. After sitting out the opening-day defeat to Brentford, he returned from the bench in the 5-1 Carabao Cup win over Charlton — still Tottenham's only win of the campaign. He then started league matches against Newcastle and Nottingham Forest, missed the 0-0 draw with Everton and the cup defeat at Liverpool because of what De Zerbi labelled a "small muscular problem", and broke down again against Villa.
Why Porro's absence is a tactical problem for De Zerbi
Without Pedro Porro, Tottenham lose their most progressive right-back — a player who had only just been reintegrated after a disrupted pre-season. Archie Gray came on in the 19th minute against Villa and is the obvious stand-in, but his profile changes how Spurs build from the right. De Zerbi's system leans on full-backs to stretch the pitch and create overloads, and Porro's delivery from wide has been a rare source of chance creation in a winless start.
The wider picture is bleak. Tottenham have spent more than £300 million and remain without a Premier League win, sitting in the relegation zone. They finally scored their first league goals of the season against Villa, but a defeat at home keeps the pressure squarely on De Zerbi. A trip to Manchester United after the international break is followed by fixtures against Coventry, Chelsea and Crystal Palace — a sequence that already looked decisive.
Porro's fitness record is now a concern in itself. Three separate absences — the Brentford opening day, the Everton and Liverpool games, and now Villa — point to a recurring issue rather than a one-off. De Zerbi's own admission that "the management of Pedro should be different" after a long World Cup summer suggests Spurs may need to rethink his workload entirely, especially with the squad already stretched.
Talking points
- Should De Zerbi have started Porro against Villa at all, given his recent muscular problem and limited pre-season? The decision now looks costly.
- Archie Gray is a fine prospect, but is he ready to hold down right-back in a relegation scrap? Spurs may need a short-term solution.
- Spending over £300 million and sitting in the relegation zone is an indictment of recruitment, not just injuries. Porro's absence cannot excuse everything.
- Spain calling up a player who had started only three games this season raises questions about international workload management after a World Cup summer.
What happens next
Tottenham travel to Manchester United on October 10 before facing Coventry, Chelsea and Crystal Palace. Porro will miss Spain's Nations League fixtures against England, Croatia and the Czech Republic. Spurs must now decide whether to accelerate Archie Gray's development at right-back or adjust shape entirely, with De Zerbi's job already under scrutiny.
Frequently asked questions
Is Pedro Porro injured and out of Spain's squad?
Yes. Porro suffered a hamstring injury in Tottenham's 3-2 defeat to Aston Villa, came off in the 19th minute, and has withdrawn from Spain's Nations League squad. No replacement has been called up.
When did Pedro Porro last play for Tottenham?
Porro started against Aston Villa, his third start of the season. He had previously started league games against Newcastle and Nottingham Forest, and came off the bench in the 5-1 Carabao Cup win over Charlton.
Who replaces Pedro Porro in Tottenham's team?
Archie Gray replaced Porro in the 19th minute against Villa and is the likely stand-in at right-back, though De Zerbi could adjust his system for the trip to Manchester United.
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