Modric to be left out of squad to face Newcastle

Friday, August 17, 2012
9:49 AM

Team news: Newcastle v Tottenham

Tottenham’s wantaway playmaker Luka Modric is expected to be left out of the squad for Andre Villas-Boas’ first match in charge away at Newcastle tomorrow.

The Croatian, who is close to sealing a transfer to Real Madrid, has not played all summer after refusing to go on the club’s pre-season tour of the United States and Spurs will not risk him getting injured in tomorrow’s game.

Spurs have no fresh injury worries ahead of tomorrow’s big Premier League kick-off at Newcastle with his ten international players returning unscathed.

Only Steven Caulker went away with England and saw no action while

Kyle Walker, Gylfi Sigurdsson and Jan Vertonghen all played 90 minutes for England, Iceland and Belgium respectively and the two new signings are likely to make their debuts.

“We are assessing the players as they return, but there are no major things,” Villas-Boas said.

“Gomes (ankle) is out, Parker (Achilles) is out. Those are the setbacks at the moment. The rest of the squad is available and jumping towards selection.”

Sandro was back at Spurs Lodge yesterday after collecting a silver medal with Brazil at the Olympics on Saturday and then jetting off to Sweden for a friendly.

Thursday and Friday’s sessions will be the first time the midfielder has trained with the new manager.

“He’s had the best of pre-seasons, which is playing time,” added Andre.

“He had his rest when the season finished and he has been active and playing.

“He only played for two minutes (for Brazil against Sweden) last night, so you could say he’s fresh. We’ll assess his level over the next couple of days.”

Newcastle have four injury concerns and Newcastle boss Alan Pardew will have to wait for late fitness tests on strikers Papiss Cisse and Demba Ba and midfielders Yohan Cabaye and Hatem Ben Arfa.

Fabricio Coloccini should be able to play, despite suffering a knock in last weekend’s friendly defeat to Cardiff.

Fellow centre-back Steven Taylor and midfielder Sylvain Marveaux are both back in the squad after long-term injury lay-offs, while new recruits Vurnon Anita, Curtis Good, Gael Bigirimana and Romain Amalfitano are available to make their debuts.

Spurs’ provisional squad: Friedel, Cudicini, Kaboul, Gallas, Dawson, Walker, Assou-Ekotto, Bassong, Vertonghen, Caulker, Naughton, Bale, Huddlestone, Lennon, Van der Vaart, Rose, Livermore, Sandro, Bentley, Jenas, Sigurdsson, Carroll, Townsend, Dos Santos, Defoe, Kane.

Newcastle’s provisional squad: Krul, Elliot, Harper, Santon, R. Taylor, Ferguson, Tavernier, Perch, Coloccini, Williamson, S. Taylor, Simpson, Tiote, Cabaye, Ben Arfa, Gutierrez, Obertan, Marveaux, Abeid, Gosling, Vuckic, Ba, Cisse, Shola Ameobi, Sammy Ameobi, Anita, Good, Bigirimana, Amalfitano.