Tottenham's decision to play two overseas friendlies just days before the Premier League season was "extraordinary" - according to a former top-flight fitness coach.
Spurs faced Real Madrid on Monday and AC Milan on Wednesday, in Germany,
arriving back in London on Thursday.
They play Manchester United at Old Trafford on Saturday at 12:45 BST.
Ex-Liverpool fitness coach Darren Burgess also said
long-haul pre-seasons "risk soft-tissue injury and fatigue".
Spurs also played in the US during the summer, losing 2-1 to MLS All-Stars on 30 July.
"The last week coming into the season should very much be a taper week where you bring the training volume down but keep the intensity," Burgess said.
"But it's hard for the players because they are naturally competitive and in that last game they will want to try and win a spot in the team."
The Australian added: "If you
get off to a flying start to the season, it's so important in avoiding relegation or winning the league. By October or November, what you do in pre-season becomes largely irrelevant, because you get fitness from the games."
Burgess, who now works for AFL team Port Adelaide, believes teams travelling shorter distances will be in better condition for the new campaign.
"I did three pre-seasons at Liverpool [in 2010-2012] where we went to Switzerland for the first season, Asia in the second and America in the third," said Burgess.
"There is no doubt that from a freshness point of view, staying in Europe gave our players an advantage.