Here's every single word the Tottenham Hotspur head coach said on Friday ahead of the Premier League match at Wolverhampton Wanderers
Roberto De Zerbi had plenty of updates for the media on Friday afternoon ahead of Tottenham's Premier League to Wolves on Saturday.
The Italian has five games to save Spurs from relegation and this weekend he will lead them to Molineux, an unhappy hunting ground for the north London club without a Premier League win there since 2021. De Zerbi's men need to come home with something if they are to put pressure on West Ham who play at the same time on Saturday at home against Everton.
Wolves have already been relegated and all the pressure is now on Tottenham to avoid the same fate. De Zerbi provide updates on Friday afternoon on Destiny Udogie, Guglielmo Vicario, Dejan Kulusevski, Pape Matar Sarr and the latest on James Maddison and whether he can play a part.
Our Spurs correspondent Alasdair Gold was among those putting the questions to De Zerbi. Here's the full transcript from the press conference at Hotspur Way.
Is there a problem with Destiny Udogie?
Destiny has a problem. I think he can’t play tomorrow. I’m sorry because he played a great first-half, the second-half as well, but the first one was great (against Brighton). But we have Spence, Souza is available to come with us. It’s not a big problem. I hope Udogie can be available in the next week at Villa Park.
Is James Maddison actually available to play?
He is not available yet, especially in this week. He felt pain but not so important problem. Tomorrow he will come with us on the bench because he is important if he plays or not it doesn’t matter. Better if he plays, for sure, but as a guy, as a leader, he is a positive guy. Inside of my dressing room I want to see nice people, positive people and this is important also for his team-mates.
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Can we play that game again or not? I think not.
How frustrating is that?
Yeah but it was clear but no problem. We have to move on and to prepare the next game in Wolverhampton is not an easy game for sure. The last three games at home they made a draw with Arsenal 2-2 and they won with Aston Villa and Liverpool. They are alive. It is a tough game because they have nothing to lose. It’s an important game for us for sure but we have to be able to play not too much pressure and my work from now until tomorrow is to prepare the game of my best. To prepare in the best way to play football because this players are very good players. They have important qualities and they play without too many problems in their head.
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Were the substitutes vs Brighton planned?
Well, listen, I thought a lot of time about the Brighton game, but in my plan, Destiny Udogie could finish the game. And then I prefer to play with the good physical condition of the players. For sure, it's important to have five substitutions. We have to prepare a plan before the game, and I usually prepare every game, one plan, two plans, two or three different plans, depending on the result and the physical condition as well. But sometimes it's a normal situation of football, like the problem of Xavi Simons. The last ball Xavi Simons touched made the assist for Archie Gray. It's a problem for me, but for every coach.
What is important in terms of your style in the final five games?
No, I don't want to put too much pressure, but we have to know the situation. We can't forget the table. We can't forget we need a win. We can't forget maybe what we have done until now. Not, maybe. For sure, what we have done until now is not enough. But anyway, if we win in Wolverhampton, it's not finished yet. There are other four games, but I think now we deserve to win a game. Also, with Brighton, I knew before the game with Brighton was one of the best teams in this moment, actually, in this moment in the Premier League.
After the Chelsea (vs Brighton) game, everyone understood, and we played a very good game, and we deserve to win. We were unlucky, but we have to be stronger and to keep playing, to keep going.
What do you make of Rob Edwards, and what sort of game do you expect from Wolves?
Yes, I have big respect for his coaching. I remember very well in Luton because we (Brighton) lost 4-0, and I remember that game as a very bad game. They have good players, especially in the midfield position, but we have our target to reach.
I just want to ask about Kevin Danso. He had such a great game, obviously he had the moment at the end and after that, the horrible racist abuse, have you spoken to him about it? How is he?
I was very annoyed by the racist insults towards Kevin, but he has to be calm. I'm proud for him. He played a fantastic game, not a good game, a fantastic game. It was important for the result, but I don't consider one mistake so important. I consider the attitude, I consider the behaviour on the pitch, the quality in which he played that game, the personality while he played that game. He will be here next season because he's a good guy. He's a very good player and every one of us is lucky to work with him.
What is Destiny's injury? Is it muscular? He's such a young player but he's had a lot of muscle injuries over the years?
It's a muscular injury but not so important. He didn't play for a long time and it can happen at the beginning when you start to feel something of this problem. I have a big opinion about Destiny and he's a crucial player for us. We are lucky because we can play with Djed Spence, another important player. I think he's playing very well this season. Another very good guy and that's it.
Dejan Kulusevksi has spoken about his dream to play at the World Cup this summer, do you think he's going to be back in time for the end of the season for you?
I'm sorry for him because he was one of my perfect players. He's a very specific player for me, like Kudus, like Romero. But I hope for him that he can play in the World Cup because the World Cup for a player is a moment. It's the best period of their career. But I don't know the situation very well.
Can I just check why Pape Matar Sarr missed the game against Brighton last weekend? Is he now available for tomorrow?
Pape Matar Sarr, the shoulder. He felt pain in his shoulder and this week he didn't work. He has not worked with the group. He's not available to play.
Also, Guglielmo Vicario, is he available tomorrow and if he is, would it be a difficult decision to pick between him and Antonin Kinsky?
No. Vicario is not available for tomorrow and I hope he can start with me next Monday. Antonin is playing very well and from Monday we go to work with him. I hope Vicario can come back in the best physical condition because he's another very important player for us.
Xavi stepped up against Brighton, Porro scored, what other players do you hope to step up at Wolves and in the final games?
Xavi Simons but also Gallagher. I watched the same Gallagher when he played in Chelsea. Dominic Solanke played a great game. Micky van de Ven, I don’t know what was the problem (before), but everyone knows my opinion about him. Pedro Porro scored a goal, but he played an important game. Udogie, Danso, I think maybe can improve in the confidence of not the attitude because he is a good guy and worked a lot especially in the defensive space and Kolo Muani, in the second half, in the second part of the game Mathys Tel, all can play better but not can play better because they are playing bad but because they have a big, big talent and I want to see all this talent on the pitch.
Randal Kolo Muani, what are you hoping to see from him and why are you sticking with him?
“For sure we have to start from one clear point that it is not the best position for him right wing and also for Mathys Tel because Mathys Tel is more of a winger but on the left-hand side. For a winger, from my experience because I was a winger, it is totally different to play on the left and right side. Both can play and I need them in that position because just one player has to play not in their favourite position, but I think it is not a problem about the position of the pitch, but I think the confidence. I think the players can change completely the performance depending on the confidence and if they feel totally confident from the coach, from the environment and from the fans, and I want to help them both to play following their qualities.
Of the things you have worked on with the players, which are you most happy about?
I am very happy. I am very happy to work here because the part of the staff I found when I came is special as a guy, as a professional and the players the same. They are following me and they are good guys. Sometimes when one team is losing too many games the rumours are not nice and behaviour and the people speak about not too much serious players, but no, it is not like this in this case. I found good players, good guys, serious players and they follow me. They believe in my words because I am able to recognise the eyes of the players. We are suffering, they are suffering because it is not easy play in Tottenham in this condition of the table, but I said they have to be stronger and they have to live to win a game. We have to live every part of the day waiting for a win and preparing for a win because I think with a win we can change this part of the season.
