Kulusevski Makes Tottenham Return in 3-1 Win Over Coventry
Dejan Kulusevski returned to competitive football after almost 18 months out as Tottenham Hotspur beat Coventry City 3-1 for their first Premier League win of the new season.
The Sweden international entered in the 86th minute to a standing ovation, making his first appearance since the serious knee injury he sustained on 11 May 2025. James Maddison also marked a notable step in his own recovery, making his first Spurs start since early May 2025.
A long route back for Kulusevski
- Kulusevski suffered a complex knee problem, including substantial cartilage damage, in a match against Crystal Palace on 11 May 2025.
- He underwent surgery soon afterwards, but complications in the healing process led to a further corrective operation the following winter.
- The two procedures and extended rehabilitation kept the former Juventus player out for the whole of the 2025-26 campaign.
- After 17 months without a competitive appearance, he was brought on late against Coventry as Spurs closed out a 3-1 victory.
The winger said the prolonged spell away had altered how he views both football and himself. “I am very grateful that I had to go through it,” he said. “I am ready to play football now. I see myself differently. I think I am a different man — the same guy who wants to play football, but a bit smarter.”
Kulusevski described the rehabilitation period as demanding but valuable, saying he intended to speak openly about the experience. “It has been an amazing journey, even when it has been difficult,” he said. “Difficult is beautiful.”
Return of experience lifts Spurs
Kulusevski’s availability restores a player whose running and creativity have been missed on Tottenham’s wide areas. His comeback also came on a night when Maddison was handed a first start for the club since May 2025.
Roberto De Zerbi has managed both players carefully as they return from lengthy absences, but the Tottenham manager said their impact is not confined to their work during matches.
“They are different players, with different talent, experience and personality,” De Zerbi said. “When they are in the dressing room, the atmosphere is different.”
For Tottenham, the Coventry result brought a first league victory of the campaign. For Kulusevski, the brief late appearance represented the end of an especially difficult chapter and the beginning of his attempt to establish himself again in De Zerbi’s side.
