Xavi Simons has penned an emotional message after Tottenham secured Premier League survival.
Xavi Simons delivered a heartfelt and emotional message to Tottenham Hotspur supporters following the club’s survival-securing victory over Everton, expressing pride in his teammates and deep regret at being unable to play his part in the most important match of the season.
The Dutch midfielder, who has been one of the genuine bright spots of an otherwise catastrophic campaign, was ruled out of the season after he ruptured his ACL against Wolves in late April.
Writing on X, Simons stated (h/t @xavisimons):
“Not the season we all envisioned. But we survived. I’m proud of the boys. Your effort today was incredible. To the fans, you were incredible. I wish I could have been there. I wish I could have played my part. Now it’s time to start rebuilding.”
The words carry genuine weight coming from a player who contributed so much to keeping Tottenham in the division during the final weeks of the campaign. His stunning strike against Brighton, the penalty he won and converted against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League second leg, and his consistent quality throughout the relegation run-in made him one of the most important players in De Zerbi’s squad from the moment the Italian arrived. That he could not be present for the culmination of that fight will have hurt enormously.
Meaningful tribute to Tottenham fans
His tribute to the supporters is equally telling. The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium crowd has been through an extraordinary emotional journey this season, from the dark days of Tudor’s winless tenure to the growing belief generated under De Zerbi, and the atmosphere they created on Sunday clearly made an impression even on a player watching from a distance.
The final line of Simons’ message is the most forward-looking and the most significant. Now it’s time to start rebuilding. It is a sentiment that aligns precisely with De Zerbi’s own post-match declaration that the work must begin immediately, and from a player of Simons’ quality, it suggests someone who is fully invested in what comes next at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The season was not what anyone had envisioned. But they survived. And the rebuild, as both manager and player have now confirmed, starts now.