The Algarve and Madeira: two sides to a seaside holiday in Portugal
The Algarve and Madeira: two sides to a seaside holiday in Portugal
Roberto De Zerbi has said that his long-term ambition is to guide Tottenham to the top of the Premier League table despite having just seven games to save them from relegation.
The Italian head coach’s immediate priority is to prevent Tottenham slipping into the second division for the first time in nearly 50 years, but in signing a five-year deal, he appears to have underlined his commitment to the club and said he would stay “no matter what” next season in his first interview since his appointment.
The length of De Zerbi’s contract, which does not have a relegation clause, was considered surprising, given his longest managerial stint came at Sassuolo between 2018 and 2021.
But asked whether he was committed to the challenge at Spurs, De Zerbi said he planned to stay for a long time and wanted to help the club challenge for the Premier League title in the future.
“I stayed three years in Sassuolo and then I left from Ukraine when the war started. In Brighton I left for different problems and in Marseille maybe the same,” De Zerbi said in his first pre-match press conference as Spurs boss.
“I would like to stay four or five, for a long time. I don't know how many years but in Marseille like this because in Marseille my idea was to stay for a long time,
“Then you have to speak with the club and when you have a different view of football or other things you have to leave money and you have to leave.
“But in my plan for sure there is the idea to stay for a long time, to try to put Tottenham, I'm not speaking about the titles because it's not the right moment now, but to put Tottenham to stay in the first position in the Premier League because there are all parts to reach that level.”
For now, De Zerbi’s only aim is to steer a Spurs side yet to win a league game this calendar year away from the relegation zone.
The brief is simple, and De Zerbi says his messaging since taking his first training session this week has been not to overcomplicate things.
A revered tactician, De Zerbi admits the intricacies of his style will take a backseat as he seeks to get his team playing with courage and character again after a brutal run of results.
“Listen, my style is one part, about the style of play and one part about the character, the personality. I have no time enough to work in the principle or in build-up so much, or in the last 20 metres” De Zerbi continued.
“I want to give organisation with the ball and without the ball. Two principles without the ball, three principles, four more. Something more in possession, in offensive phase and that's it,
“What I want to do, what I want to achieve immediately is the character, is the right spirit, the right courage to play, to attack. Because the DNA of this club, of this squad is to find the goal, to score.
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Mohammed Kudus could miss the rest of the season in a major blow to new Tottenham boss Roberto De Zerbi.
Kudus has been out since the start of January with a quad injury, but had begun to ease his way back into training before the international break.
It was hoped he would be in contention to face Sunderland this weekend in De Zerbi’s first game in charge.
However, Spurs have confirmed that Kudus could be set to undergo surgery, ruling him out of Spurs’ final seven games of the season and casting his World Cup hopes with Ghana into doubt.
Kudus still has the most Premier League assists of any Spurs player this season, and his prolonged absence would come as a huge blow as the club look to stave off the threat of relegation.
Meanwhile, De Zerbi has confirmed that goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, who underwent surgery on a hernia injury over the international break, will not face Sunderland.
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“No, Vicario is not ready for this game, I hope he can come back earlier next week, but I don't know yet,” the Italian revealed in the pre-match press conference.
Vicario’s injury means that Antonin Kinsky is likely to start for the first time since his nightmare performance away at Atletico Madrid last month under Igor Tudor.
The Czech ‘keeper gifted Atletico two goals in nine minutes before being replaced just 17 minutes into his Champions League debut.
It is telling that while De Zerbi has only added two new members to his coaching staff, he has elected to bring in long-time fitness coach Marcattilio Marcattilii.
Debut: Roberto De Zerbi takes charge of Spurs for the first time against Sunderland
REUTERS
De Zerbi has inherited a squad riddled with injuries, and one of his major priorities will be to ensure as many players as possible return to fitness before the end of the season.
That said, the Italian will be boosted by the returns of Lucas Bergvall and Mathys Tel, who both featured heavily in footage of De Zerbi’s first training session last week.
Bergvall came off the bench during Spurs’ 3-0 defeat by Nottingham Forest before the international break, while Tel had to be withdrawn midway through the second half with a groin issue and pulled out of the France Under-21 squad.
Both players, though, look set to be available for selection on Wearside despite remaining at Hotspur Way over the international break.
Pape Matar Sarr is a doubt after suffering a shoulder injury while playing for Senegal, while Rodrigo Bentancur is edging closer to returning from a serious hamstring injury.
James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski are long-term absentees, but there is optimism that both could play before the end of the season.
Spurs could find themselves in the relegation zone before they play Sunderland, with just one point currently separating them from 18th-place West Ham, who host bottom club Wolves on Friday night.
De Zerbi needs to make an immediate impact, but it remains to be seen whether he will opt for a three or a four-man defence, having switched between both systems during his managerial career so far.
One thing we do know is that De Zerbi favours a ball-dominant style, and so his selections will likely reflect his desire to maintain possession and bait his opponents into pressuring his team.
De Zerbi has already admitted that results are more important than style heading into the final seven games of the season, and a fast start is imperative, with Spurs yet to win a league game this calendar year.
Predicted Tottenham XI (4-2-3-1): Kinsky; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie; Gray, Bergvall; Kolo Muani, Simons, Tel; Solanke
Doubts: Sarr
Injured: Maddison, Davies, Kulusevski, Odobert, Bissouma, Kudus, Bentancur, Vicario
Time and date: 2pm BST on Sunday April 12, 2026
Venue: Stadium of Light, Sunderland
How to watch: Sky Sports
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Roberto De Zerbi has delivered an update on Mohammed Kudus after he suffered a setback in his return from injury.
Kudus has been out since January with a serious quad injury, but had returned to full team training and was expected to provide a major boost for De Zerbi ahead of the Premier League run-in.
Spurs then announced on Thursday that the Ghanaian had suffered a setback in his recovery and will now require further specialist review and, potentially, surgery.
Kudus looks set to miss Spurs’ final seven games of the season, while his World Cup hopes have also been thrown into doubt.
News of Kudus’ injury comes on the eve of De Zerbi’s first game in charge away to Sunderland this weekend, and the new Spurs boss said: “Kudus was in my head a crucial player, especially for the position, but we have to look forward anyway.
“I think we have a lot of very good attackers and we have to help them, to put them in the best condition to show their qualities, because Kolo Muani, I know he's not playing a great season, but he's a good player.
“I know, like Mathys Tel I wanted him in Marseille, Xavi Simons is a big talent, Richarlison and Solanke you know maybe better than me, and so we have to put them in the best condition we can."
Spurs announced that Vicario’s surgery had been timed to minimise the amount of time he would miss, but the Italian shot-stopper will not travel to the Stadium of Light.
On Vicario, De Zerbi added: “No, Vicario is not ready for this game, I hope he can come back earlier next week, but I don't know yet.”
The midfielder was pictured in training on Friday, but could be seen wearing what appeared to be a shoulder support on his left shoulder.
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Mohammed Kudus could potentially miss the rest of the season in a major blow to new Tottenham boss Roberto De Zerbi.
Kudus has been out since the start of January with a quad injury, but had begun to ease his way back into training before the international break.
It was hoped he would be in contention to face Sunderland this weekend in De Zerbi’s first game in charge.
However, reports have now surfaced suggesting that Kudus could be set to undergo surgery, ruling him out of Spurs’ final seven games of the season and casting his World Cup hopes with Ghana into doubt.
Kudus still has the most Premier League assists of any Spurs player this season, and his prolonged absence would come as a huge blow as the club look to stave off the threat of relegation.
Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, who underwent surgery on a hernia injury over the international break, is also a doubt to face Sunderland.
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Spurs said in a statement that the surgery had been timed to minimise the amount of time Vicario would miss, but regardless, it looks doubtful that he will be fit enough to play on Sunday.
Vicario’s injury means that Antonin Kinsky is likely to start for the first time since his nightmare performance away at Atletico Madrid last month under Igor Tudor.
The Czech ‘keeper gifted Atletico two goals in nine minutes before being replaced just 17 minutes into his Champions League debut.
It is telling that while De Zerbi has only added two new members to his coaching staff, he has elected to bring in long-time fitness coach Marcattilio Marcattilii.
Debut: Roberto De Zerbi takes charge of Spurs for the first time against Sunderland
REUTERS
De Zerbi has inherited a squad riddled with injuries, and one of his major priorities will be to ensure as many players as possible return to fitness before the end of the season.
That said, the Italian will be boosted by the returns of Lucas Bergvall and Mathys Tel, who both featured heavily in footage of De Zerbi’s first training session last week.
Bergvall came off the bench during Spurs’ 3-0 defeat by Nottingham Forest before the international break, while Tel had to be withdrawn midway through the second half with a groin issue and pulled out of the France Under-21 squad.
Both players, though, look set to be available for selection on Wearside despite remaining at Hotspur Way over the international break.
Pape Matar Sarr is a doubt after suffering a shoulder injury while playing for Senegal, while Rodrigo Bentancur is edging closer to returning from a serious hamstring injury.
James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski are long-term absentees, but there is optimism that both could play before the end of the season.
Spurs could find themselves in the relegation zone before they play Sunderland, with just one point currently separating them from 18th-place West Ham, who host bottom club Wolves on Friday night.
De Zerbi needs to make an immediate impact, but it remains to be seen whether he will opt for a three or a four-man defence, having switched between both systems during his managerial career so far.
One thing we do know is that De Zerbi favours a ball-dominant style, and so his selections will likely reflect his desire to maintain possession and bait his opponents into pressuring his team.
De Zerbi has already admitted that results are more important than style heading into the final seven games of the season, and a fast start is imperative, with Spurs yet to win a league game this calendar year.
Predicted Tottenham XI (4-2-3-1): Kinsky; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie; Gray, Bergvall; Kolo Muani, Simons, Tel; Solanke
Doubts: Bentancur, Sarr, Vicario
Injured: Maddison, Davies, Kulusevski, Odobert, Bissouma, Kudus
Time and date: 2pm BST on Sunday April 12, 2026
Venue: Stadium of Light, Sunderland
How to watch: Sky Sports
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Football
Pep Guardiola calls him one of the best coaches of the past 20 years, but Italian only has seven games to save Spurs
Run the numbers, consider the circumstances, and it becomes apparent that Tottenham hiring Roberto De Zerbi is just about the riskiest managerial appointment in the history of the Premier League.
Sure, his esteemed reputation makes him better-equipped to succeed than many before him, but what matters is not whether he could succeed. It’s whether he will.
Igor Tudor is consigned to history after trying and failing miserably at an easier gig. He took charge as interim head coach when Spurs were 16th in the table, five points above the relegation zone, still in the Champions League knockout stages, and with 12 Premier League games with which to mastermind safety.
For De Zerbi, those numbers read 17th in the table, a single point above the drop, wounds still fresh from being booted out of Europe by Atlético Madrid, and with just seven games left to save themselves.
De Zerbi has been appointed on a five-year contract
Tottenham Hotspur
Oh, and De Zerbi has signed a five-year contract with no relegation clause. Here to stay.
They tried to convince him through the door when they got Tudor, yet the higher the risk, the higher the potential reward. Now the job is even less appealing than it was, it appeals. And so here is the highest-stakes managerial appointment since the top-flight’s reformation in 1992, De Zerbi tasked with saving the Europa League holders from the same division as Lincoln City.
The appointment is a coup for under-pressure chief executive Vinai Venkatesham and sporting director Johan Lange but will be judged on these next seven games.
Confidence-shot Spurs need saving from the unimaginable. That’s the brief.
Tactical approach
“I have a big responsibility,” the new head coach accepts. This is not - and cannot afford to be - chiefly about his career or strengthening his CV.
To that end, safer jobs were out there or certainly would have been this summer. At its core, the remit stapled to De Zerbi’s desk is to be the someone the Spurs players are panging to believe in.
Following the Thomas Frank and Tudor disasters, even from the outset, he appears the sort of head coach a group of rough diamonds might place full faith in.
Players will have taken his declaration that he “will be the coach of Tottenham next season, no matter what” as a therapeutic first step.
It will all boil down to extracting as much as possible from seven football matches, so the approach is crucial.
De Zerbi does not have a relegation clause that would allow him to walk away if Spurs go down
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His almighty success at Brighton, a new-age club, will have contributed hugely to De Zerbi’s reputation in English football, and after his May 2024 exit he told friends in Italy of his belief that his reputation on these shores as a football philosopher allergic to pragmatism is a mischaracterisation.
If his team are winning 1-0 with 10 minutes to go, he’d throw on a defender, shut up shop. He is no rebel, he insists.
“It’s not the right moment to speak about my philosophy of football,” he said last weekend.
Principles and healthy habits are the currency between now and that final game against Everton on May 24; time is against Tottenham.
He cannot simply copy and paste what worked for him at Sassuolo or Shakhtar Donetsk or Brighton or Marseille - there isn’t the time to instil it - but people don’t change overnight.
A 4-2-3-1 formation with forwards interchanging swiftly in fluid attacks can be expected.
If he feels he can trust the players in the centre of the pitch, the 46-year-old will look to deploy the De Zerbian “S”.
A pattern of build-up play that involves a passing sequence often plotting out the shape of a letter “S”, it starts with the centre-backs waiting patiently, passing between themselves, baiting the press, then pouncing when the time is right with a slipped pass into midfield, and progressing up the pitch, the opposition team always a pass behind, chasing shadows as De Zerbi’s side manoeuvre the ball forward.
Sure enough, he could be heard shouting “keep the ball, attract the pressure” at his players at Hotspur Way on Friday, on his first day taking training.
Carlo Ancelotti, then of Real Madrid, beat De Zerbi’s Shakhtar 5-0 in 2021 and had warned his players beforehand: “If you press, they will pass the ball around you. Don’t press, and they will give you the ball.”
Tudor’s back-three, long-ball was an eyesore; De Zerbi’s style has worked wherever he’s been. Spurs fans will know possession dominance is not their side’s forte but will keep faith. Risk. Reward.
Players left training on Friday and gave rave reviews to family members and their agents about his first session.
Tottenham are 17th in the Premier League, just one point outside of the relegation zone
Getty Images
“Roberto is one of the most influential managers in the last 20 years,” Pep Guardiola insisted in 2023 after a sixth-place finish in his first season delivered European football, a first in Brighton’s 122-year history. “There’s no team playing the way they play — it’s unique. I had the feeling when he arrived the impact he would have in the Premier League would be great. I didn’t expect him to do it this [quickly].”
If he is to turn Tottenham’s fortunes around even more rapidly, which is his task, you sense it will stem from playing players in their best positions and building from there.
Tudor arrived and neglected to do so. De Zerbi will not look on the Croat’s body of work from an interim reign shorter than Liz Truss’s premiership and decide to follow suit.
Power of personality
Even after accounting for Tottenham’s youth and inexperience, senior players have shirked individual responsibility for too long.
The Spurs hierarchy believe the demanding De Zerbi, his aura and reputation, should remedy that once and for all.
“I think we have to remember who we are, and who the players are,” he said in his first club interview. “They have to show what they are.”
Yes, the squad he inherits lacks players with the prestige of Harry Kane, Son Heung-min, Toby Alderweireld and Hugo Lloris, but it is without doubt a group of more talented footballers than Leeds, Nottingham Forest and West Ham, the teams in and around them, can call on.
While guarding against complacency - you’d imagine there’s not much of that flying around in N17 - once they believe they are too good to go down, that’s half the battle. Self-belief is vital. Then deliver.
At Brighton, De Zerbi had no choice but to develop and engender experience and maturity from within.
Should Spurs fail to beat the drop, it would go down as one of the Premier League's most remarkable relegations
Tottenham Hotspur / X
The next transfer window opens only after Tottenham’s fate is sealed one way or the other, so he faces the same challenge. He must develop a battle-hardened squad, while collecting enough points along the way.
An unprecedented injury crisis is beginning to ease, though reports claim Mohammed Kudus could be out for the season with a fresh injury.
When his team have bypassed the press and a frantic attack is in flight, De Zerbi will be emotional and expressive in his technical area, kicking every ball.
Medhi Benatia, the Marseille sporting director, would stay up until 2am on long video calls with De Zerbi, whose tactical obsession is “stimulating” and whose “passion is overflowing”.
It did not end well at Brighton or Marseille, where he fell out with the board, yet Spurs have bigger worries right now.
Most important to this particular chapter is that it has a strong start. The 10-day lead-in before Sunderland on Sunday in his first game in charge helps.
Up for the fight
De Zerbi has succeeded at all of his past four clubs, yet his brand of football means results can be erratic.
The disillusionment within the fanbase is intense and the expectation levels are as low as they have ever been. The last Premier League win came 102 days ago.
No wonder De Zerbi deems this “the most important challenge in my career”. He wouldn’t admit that - wouldn’t take the job - if he didn’t feel up to it.
In the throes of a campaign that delivered 22 league defeats, Ange Postecoglou admitted: “Every time I’ve seen the light at the end of the tunnel, it’s been an oncoming train.” Fourteen months and three head-coach sackings later, the first stop for De Zerbi: the Stadium of Light.
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De Zerbi is preparing for his first game in charge of Spurs away at Sunderland on Sunday after his appointment on a five-year contract.
Spurs have announced the arrival of Marcattilio Marcattilii as first team fitness coach and Marcello Quinto as senior professional development phase coach.
Marcattilio started working with De Zerbi in 2015 at Italian side Foggia and has been a part of his backroom staff since.
Marcello has worked closely with De Zerbi over the past three years during his time at Brighton and Marseille.
Spurs have confirmed they will join assistant coaches Bruno Saltor and Andreas Georgson, individual development coach Cameron Campbell and goalkeeping coach Fabian Otte on the coaching staff.
They will continue to be supported by Stuart Lewis and Dean Brill.
De Zerbi has seven games to save Spurs from relegation to the Championship. Spurs are 17th in the Premier League, just one point outside of the relegation zone and without a top-flight win in 2026.
New boss is battling an injury crisis as he prepares for his debut
Sidelined: Mohammed Kudus, Guglielmo Vicario and Mathys Tel
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Oli Gent
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Roberto De Zerbi has taken over an injury-ravaged Tottenham side as he looks to guide the club clear of relegation.
The Italian began work at Hotspur Way last Thursday, and he welcomed his players back from their respective international duties over the weekend.
Spurs have a week to prepare for the former Brighton boss’ first game in charge, away to Sunderland on April 12, and De Zerbi will be hoping that some key players will be fit enough for a return.
Here’s all the latest Tottenham injury news and potential return dates...
Mohammed Kudus
Summer signing Kudus is slowly but surely closing in on a return after a long spell out with a hamstring problem.
The Ghanaian picked up the issue against Sunderland on January 4, but has been pictured back in team training ahead of the trip to Wearside in a big boost to De Zerbi.
Former interim boss Igor Tudor, who was sacked over the international break, said of Kudus: “Probably [be] some part of the things with the squad, maybe 10 days. I don't know, I'm not sure, we need to check.”
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While the Croat’s message may seem confusing, it has since been reported that Kudus is hoped to return within 10 days of the international break finishing.
As suchm, that would rule him out of games against Sunderland away and then Brighton at home. Spurs then face Wolves at Molineux on April 25.
Potential return date: Saturday, April 15 vs Brighton (H)
Guglielmo Vicario
First-choice goalkeeper Vicario is in his recovery stage following hernia surgery.
Spurs announced on March 20 that the operation had been “timed” for the international break in order to “have as minimal impact as possible”.
The club would like the Italian to be able to “return to action within the next month”.
However, it looks likely that his deputy, Antonin Kinsky, will start between the sticks at Sunderland, set to make his first appearance since his nightmare display against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League last month.
Potential return date: Saturday, April 15 vs Brighton (H)
Dejan Kulusevski
Sweden international Kulusevski could finally be closing in on a return to action after he emphasised his objective of playing for his country at the World Cup this summer.
The forward has been out since May last year with a patella injury that has consisted of several setbacks, with the most recent being another surgical procedure which preceded his visit to Sweden’s camp ahead of their World Cup play-off victory over Poland.
He was spotted limping badly, which sparked fears that he still had some time remaining before he was to set foot on the pitch again.
However, Kulusevski allayed those fears, insisting that he has "never felt better" as he targets the World Cup.
New surgery: Dejan Kulusevski
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“I understand that people were worried [by the limping], but it was really for the wrong reason," he said. "It was really positive that I did this little procedure and that we were able to find the problem.
"Now everything should be good. It’s just a matter of slowly and surely coming back. I can see the light. It feels better now.
"I really have a positive feeling about [the] World Cup in two or three months. This is how the book and the chapter will end. I’m convinced of that … I'm very confident with where I am today."
Potential return date: Unknown
Pape Matar Sarr
Midfielder Sarr was ruled out of Senegal’s friendly against Gambia last week after playing in their 2-0 win over Peru.
The reason was a shoulder injury, with De Zerbi set to issue an update on Sarr’s condition in his first press conference as Spurs boss ahead of the trip to Sunderland.
Potential return date: Sunday, April 12 vs Sunderland (A)
Injury blow: Pape Matar Sarr
Peter Byrne/PA Wire
Mathys Tel
Tel withdrew from France’s Under-21 squad in the recent international break with a groin problem.
The young forward had hit form just at the right time after a frustrating season where he struggled for regular game time.
He had just begun to show flashes of his quality under Tudor before the Croat’s sacking, and he has now been hit with a further blow.
There is belief, however, that he could return promptly and aid Spurs’ fight against relegation.
Potential return date: Sunday, April 12 vs Sunderland (A)
Rodrigo Bentancur
Bentancur has been out since the defeat at Bournemouth back in January with a torn hamstring.
The Uruguayan required surgery, with Tudor reporting that the midfielder was “progressing” towards a comeback to action.
The midfielder has been seen with a ball at his feet in recent weeks, and the former Juventus man could be close to a return this month if things go to plan.
Potential return date: April
Sidelined: Rodrigo Bentancur
Getty Images
James Maddison
While the attacking midfielder has posted videos of himself upping his recovery on YouTube and TikTok, it still remains unlikely that he will feature at all this term after his ACL injury that he suffered in pre-season last summer.
Potential return date: June
Wilson Odobert
Another whose campaign is over is the young French forward Odobert, who also tore his ACL against Newcastle earlier this year.
He underwent surgery in February and is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
Potential return date: November
Ben Davies
Welsh veteran Davies is likely to have played his last game for the club after he broke his ankle against West Ham.
The defender was stretched off in the defeat at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
It could well be his final match in north London, with the 32-year-old out of contract come the end of the season.
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Roberto De Zerbi has stated that he will be Tottenham manager “no matter what” next season as he seeks to steer the club to Premier League safety.
Spurs currently sit 17th in the Premier League table and are just one point above the relegation zone, having lost six of their last seven league games.
De Zerbi joined Spurs on Tuesday, signing a five-year contract to take over from former interim manager Igor Tudor, who left the club by mutual consent after just seven games at the helm.
The Italian is Spurs’ third managerial appointment of the season, and he will take charge of his first game away to Sunderland next weekend.
Spurs were keen to make a long-term appointment when looking to replace Tudor, and speaking in his first interview since being appointed manager, De Zerbi underlined his commitment to the club.
“I signed five years of contract because for me, it is a big challenge and I will be the coach of Tottenham next season, no matter what,” he told the club’s official website.
De Zerbi arrives at Spurs with the club facing up to the prospect of being relegated to the second division for the first time in nearly 50 years.
The former Brighton boss is under no illusions about the size of the task ahead of him, acknowledging that he has inherited a tough situation, with Spurs yet to win a league game in 2026.
“I know very well it is a tough moment” De Zerbi continued.
“It is a difficult moment for everyone of Tottenham, (but) I think we have the right qualities to come out from this moment.
“I believe in the players. I think we have to remember who we are, and who the players are because we have very big players.
“We have to work in their confidence and in their qualities. They have to show what they are and what (level) they are used to playing.”