Tottenham Hotspur will be looking to improve their midfield creativity in the next few months as they aim to secure a top-four finish.
The attack is one area that clearly needs attention from Thomas Frank and his staff, as Spurs have often struggled to break down compact sides, particularly when playing at home.
Statistics show that one of Tottenham’s biggest issues in this regard lies within the pivot pairing of Joao Palhinha and Rodrigo Bentancur, who have at times found it difficult to progress the ball effectively when deployed together.
Nevertheless, both players remain integral to the side’s structure, but how do their individual numbers compare, and should Frank consider dropping one for the other? Let us find out.
Tottenham midfield comparison: Rodrigo Bentancur vs Joao Palhinha
So far this season, Joao Palhinha and Rodrigo Bentancur have featured 18 and 17 times, respectively.
Both players have had almost identical minutes on the pitch, with only a 50-minute difference separating them. Palhinha has played 1,276 minutes, while Bentancur has registered 1,226.
Although they operate as a double pivot, their roles differ slightly. Palhinha tends to sit deeper, acting as the more defensive presence, while Bentancur is often given licence to push forward depending on the opposition setup.
Interestingly, when analysing the numbers, the pair seem to complement each other fairly well.
At present, Palhinha leads in duels won with an impressive 97.2%, he also recovers possession most frequently, winning 93.7% of his challenges.
The Portuguese midfielder further tops the metrics for progressive carries with 9.3 and progressive passes with 27.5%.
Spurs’ tactical dilemma with Rodrigo Bentancur and Joao Palhinha
Bentancur, on the other hand, has a significantly lower duel success rate, winning just 23.7% of his challenges. In terms of possession regained, the Uruguayan has managed 43.5, with 7.7 progressive carries to his name.
However, Bentancur does play more forward passes, recording 45.8%, and he boasts a higher percentage of forward distribution overall at 51.8%, compared to Palhinha’s 40.9%.
He also edges ahead in key passes, registering 26.5 compared to Palhinha’s 20.0, although his progressive passes are slightly lower at 24.5.
Both players have contributed with goals and assists, but it is Palhinha who tops that, with the 30-year-old having scored four times and assisted twice. Bentancur, on the other hand, has managed one goal and one assist.
Tottenham midfield comparison 2025/26
| Percentiles / Metrics | Rodrigo Bentancur (Tottenham Hotspur, 28) | Joao Palhinha (Tottenham Hotspur, 30) |
|---|---|---|
| Duel % | 23.7 | 97.2 |
| Possession Won | 43.5 | 93.7 |
| Progressive Carries | 7.7 | 9.3 |
| Forward Passes | 45.8 | 44.9 |
| Forward Pass % | 51.8 | 40.9 |
| Key Passes | 26.5 | 20.0 |
| Progressive Passes | 24.5 | 27.5 |
| Minutes | 734 | 953 |
From the data, it does appear somewhat counterproductive for both to feature together regularly, as their attacking output and positional tendencies often mirror one another.
Palhinha is clearly the stronger defensive midfielder and could comfortably marshal that holding role alone, while Bentancur offers a measure of control in possession but not enough attacking thrust to alter the tempo in the final third.
In truth, their partnership tends to limit Spurs’ attacking rhythm, with neither player providing the forward dynamism required to link midfield and attack effectively.
- READ MORE: Tottenham have a secret midfield weapon who has more goals than Palhinha and Bentancur combined