Football London

Igor Tudor takes charge of his first Tottenham match on Sunday when Arsenal visit N17 in the North London Derby but how has he fared in other derbies at previous clubs? football.london has trawled through the history books to take a look

There's no bigger game than Arsenal for Igor Tudor to kickstart his tenure as Tottenham interim boss.

The Premier League leaders are seeking to complete a double over Spurs following the 4-1 massacre at the Emirates Stadium back in November when Eberechi Eze grabbed a hat-trick.

And if Tudor's derby history is anything to go by, Tottenham are facing an incredibly tough task to take any points from their arch-rivals. football.london has trawled back through Tudor's managerial history and his record in derbies is quite worrying. He's bossed 23 in total and won just four times, collecting two draws while suffering 17 loses.

Tudor is from Split and there's arguably no fiercer rivalry than the Eternal Derby in Croatia between Hajduk and Dinamo Zagreb. The new Spurs boss managed Hajduk twice but won just two of 11 matches against Dinamo.

FOLLOW OUR TOTTENHAM FB PAGE! Latest Spurs news, analysis and much more via our dedicated Facebook page

He lost his first ever derby 3-1 in May 2013 before being thrashed 5-1 by Dinamo in the Croatian Super Cup. The 47-year-old then collected a 2-0 home win before drawing 2-2 in the reverse fixture but things did not improve from there, losing 4-0 and 2-1 in the Croatian Cup quarter-final before suffering three consecutive league defeats (2-0, 3-2 and 3-0).

Tudor's next venture was with PAOK in Greece and while their main rivals are Aris Thessaloniki - the Derby of Thessaloniki - he did not manage against Aris as they were in the third-tier at the time.

He did, however, square off against intercity rivals Olympiacos, losing all three matches during the 2015-16 campaign (2-0, 1-0 and 3-0) without scoring a goal.

It was then time to head to Turkey with Galatasaray but he did not have much luck there, either. He lost both Istanbul derbies against Besiktas (1-0 and 3-0) before losing 1-0 and drawing 0-0 with Fenerbahce. Again from those four matches, his team did not score.

Tudor then headed back to Hajduk where he did pick up an impressive 3-2 away win at Dinamo following a 2-0 home defeat in the return fixture.

A new country then beckoned as Tudor headed to the Stade Velodrome to take charge of Marseille. He was in the dugout for three Le Classiques and lost both Ligue 1 encounters (1-0 and 3-0). He did pick up a 2-1 home win in the Coupe de France prior to his departure.

During his short time at Lazio, the former Juventus centre-back took charge of one Derby della Capitale but lost 1-0 away at Roma.

It was then onto Turin where things would improve on the derby front. While he did not face Torino in the Turin Derby, he picked up an impressive 4-3 win over Inter in the Derby d'Italia in September.

The optimists might argue that Tudor is technically heading into Sunday's North London Derby on the back of a derby win - even if his record is generally poor elsewhere.

Xavi Simons will be hoping to start for Tottenham against Arsenal, with the attacking midfielder showing his new boss exactly what he wants to see

In a period of doom and gloom for Tottenham, Xavi Simons has perhaps been one of the bright sparks.

The attacking midfielder made the move to north London from RB Leipzig in the summer in a deal worth £51million. After initially seeming to struggle to adapt to life in the Premier League, the 22-year-old's performances improved over the past few weeks and he now has three goals and six assists to his name.

His form was not enough to save Thomas Frank, however, as the Dane was sacked from his role as head coach last Wednesday after eight months in charge following a 2-1 home defeat to Newcastle, which extended the north London club’s winless top-flight run to eight matches.

Spurs were quick to appoint Igor Tudor until the end of the season and subsequently gave players five days off before they met up with the new boss at Hotspur Way on Monday. With many taking the time to relax or jet off across the world, Simons instead stayed in London and used the time to get in more training sessions.

FOLLOW OUR TOTTENHAM FB PAGE! Latest Spurs news, analysis and much more via our dedicated Facebook page

Simons' mindset will likely impress Tudor and supporters, with Spurs needing to show fight in the coming months with the club 16th in the Premier League. The North London Derby against Arsenal is up next for Tudor's side and Simons looks in line to start the contest at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

“First priority is to give everything the team needs in these moments," Tudor said after his arrival. "The team need, I believe, first of all, to get some confidence, to get some courage, but also, in same way, the concrete things in the pitch.

“Of course, I’m coming here knowing that situation is not easy. There is no time to find excuses. What I said from the first day here, each of us, need to give something something more, something extra.”

Tottenham have slumped to 16th place, five points above the relegation zone, and Tudor faces a tough mission in his first game in charge, against title-chasing Arsenal at home on Sunday. “The position of the club in this moment is one that nobody can accept,” Tudor said. “Every Tottenham fan cannot accept the situation. We are aware of that. But it’s not enough to just be aware of that.

“The situation is not easy because we have a lot of injured players, so we need first to find the best system to suit the players that are available in this moment. Maybe this can sound strange, but I believe that the thing that we need to be focused on is the training. So the training from today, that’s the key. The coach needs to show the path, where is the way we want to go, how we want to go, and the players need to accept this.”

Igor Tudor has a wealth of options at his disposal as the interim Tottenham Hotspur boss prepare for mission impossible

Igor Tudor could field one of the strongest starting lineups in the Premier League once everyone has returned from injury. The interim Tottenham Hotspur head coach will hope to welcome as many of the big names back from the sidelines as possible ahead of the end-of-season run-in.

Over the next month or so, Tudor will prepare a last-ditch bid for qualification to either of UEFA's three club competitions. The Croatian could get off to the perfect start in the North London Derby on Sunday afternoon before facing Fulham, Crystal Palace, Liverpool, and Nottingham Forest ahead of the March international break.

As it stands, with 12 games to spare, 15 points separate Spurs from Chelsea in fifth place. If the Lilywhites are to climb the table, while also juggling the challenges of the Champions League, the former Juventus boss will need the entire squad available to him.

So, with that being said, football.london has looked at how Tottenham could line up once everyone is fit and available for selection.

FOLLOW OUR TOTTENHAM FB PAGE! Latest Spurs news, analysis and much more via our dedicated Facebook page

Tudor boasts strong Tottenham backline

Tudor could build a steely backline once everybody returns from the treatment room. Despite some difficult moments this season, it goes without saying that Guglielmo Vicario remains between the sticks.

With the Croatian expected to operate a back-five, just as he did for much of his time at Juventus, Lazio, Marseille, and Hellas Verona, he could play Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero, and Kevin Danso at centre-half, with Destiny Udogie and Pedro Porro at left and right wing-back, respectively.

Gallagher and Maddison left out, but Tottenham star returns

Tudor would have a wealth of midfield options at his disposal if everyone were fit and available. Unfortunately though, with the 47-year-old partial to a back-five, Tottenham would generally be limited to a two-man pivot.

While Conor Gallagher, James Maddison, as well as even Lucas Bervall, Pape Matar Sarr, and Archie Gray, would both be good options, Tudor would likely opt for Joao Palhinha and Rodrigo Bentancur, who would perhaps offer more balance in the middle of the park.

Two summer signings join Solanke up top

Tudor could also build a very respectable frontline. Mathys Tel, Randal Kolo Muani, Wilson Odobert, and Richarlison have each shown glimpses of promise, but neither have done enough to warrant an undisputed place in the starting lineup.

Xavi Simons, Mohammed Kudus, and Dominic Solanke, however, have, and they would cause most teams in Europe a few problems. The former would provide the link between midfield and attack, and he could always drop a little deeper to make a three-man midfield when Tottenham have their backs against the wall.

Gallagher would do well in a similar role, but Simons offers a little more quality in the final third.

So...

A back-five, or three whichever way you look at it, could limit Tottenham when they have every player fit and available. But, that said, the best possible Spurs starting lineup under Tudor could look something like this: Vicario; Udogie, Van de Ven, Romero, Danso, Porro; Bentancur, Palhinha; Simons, Kudus; Solanke.

PSG came from behind to beat Monaco 3-2 in the first leg of their Champions League play-off and unsurprisingly, two ex-Tottenham transfer targets impressed

If there were any Tottenham supporters at a loose end on Tuesday evening, there's a fair chance they would have tuned into a Champions League fire-cracker on TNT Sports between Monaco and PSG.

Spurs of course faced Monaco in the group phase and were lucky to escape the Principality with a point following a goalless draw.

Guglielmo Vicario produces a number of top-class saves on a night where Tottenham undeniably rode their luck. One player that caught the eye that evening was Monaco's gifted No.11 Maghnes Akliouche.

He is no stranger to the Tottenham hierarchy as they had identified him as an alternative to Xavi Simons last summer before concluding a £51million transfer for the Dutchman.

Akliouche can operate either as a No.10 or right-winger and his deft dribbling ability and creativity was a sight to behold against Spurs.

FOLLOW OUR TOTTENHAM FB PAGE! Latest Spurs news, analysis and much more via our dedicated Facebook page

You can accept Tottenham failing to move for the 23-year-old last summer given they also signed Mo Kudus from West Ham but the Monaco starlet felt a must this winter.

Thomas Frank's side was not only struggling but desperately short of attacking numbers and the arrival of Akliouche would have been a signing for the club's long-term future, not just a quick fix.

Last night, he provided an assist for Folarin Balogun's second goal as Monaco raced into a shock 2-0 lead.

Since the start of last season, Akliouche has now registered more Champions League assists (five) than Jude Bellingham, Arda Guler and Kenan Yildiz (all four).

He's precisely the kind of player that would have lifted the level of this current Spurs team and it would not be a surprise to see him light up the World Cup in the summer.

But more frustratingly, Desire Doue also took centre stage after coming off the bench for PSG to grab a brace.

Luis Enrique's side were 2-0 down at the time of his introduction and Doue immediately sprinkled his stardust to force PSG back into the contest.

The talented forward is said to have visited Hotspur Way prior to signing for the French giants and it's the kind of near miss that will haunt the north London club for the next decade.

There's no doubt Doue is a generational talent and when he turns in displays like last night, their failure to land him really does sting twice as bad.

Spurs barely strengthened their squad in January and the club are now facing a battle for Premier League survival.

Should they keep their head above water, they must be more ruthless and ambitious in the transfer market moving forwards as both Akliouche and Doue were seemingly there for the taking.

Cristian Romero has been silent on Thomas Frank's exit, with only a handful of Spurs players posting farewell messages to the former boss

Cristian Romero has raised eyebrows after failing to acknowledge Thomas Frank's departure from Tottenham Hotspur on social media - unlike some of his teammates. The Argentinian centre‑back, who publicly thanked Ange Postecoglou when he left the club, did not post any message to the Dane following his dismissal.

Frank was sacked earlier this month, with Spurs sitting 16th in the Premier League and winless in eight matches. The 2-1 defeat to Newcastle United proved to be the final straw.

Only a handful of players - Richarlison, Joao Palhinha and Pedro Porro, shared farewell messages on social media. Captain Romero opted to stay quiet on this occasion, even though he shared a long farewell message when Postecoglou departed the club last year.

At the time, Romero wrote: "Ange, thank you for these two incredible seasons. You're a fantastic coach, but above all, a great person who deserves the best.

FOLLOW OUR TOTTENHAM FB PAGE! Latest Spurs news, analysis and much more via our dedicated Facebook page

"From day one you paved the way despite the many obstacles that always existed and always will exist.

"Beyond everything, we won a trophy and went down in the history of this beautiful club, which is the only thing that matters.

"I wish you the best because you deserve the best, and thank you for everything."

The Frank snub speaks volumes, and it highlights a broader issue inside the dressing room: a squad that needs pulling together again. Which leaves interim head coach Igor Tudor with an immediate challenge.

Over the next few weeks, he must work to bring players back onside and restore a sense of unity at a time when every point matters in their Premier League campaign.

Spurs sit just three points above the relegation zone, and Tudor's first game in charge could hardly be tougher.

His debut comes in the north London derby against Arsenal on Sunday (4:30pm), a fixture that will test both the team and his ability to steady a squad clearly short on confidence.

Ensure our latest sport headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source.

It's time for a new episode of Talking Tottenham as our Spurs correspondents Alasdair Gold and Ryan Taylor discuss the new man in charge

There is a new man at the helm of Tottenham Hotspur and Igor Tudor will have found some familiar faces when he walked through the doors of the north London club.

The 47-year-old has been called upon to do a similar firefighting job to the one he had previously managed at Juventus, Lazio and Udinese in recent years in order to pull Spurs out of their current mess. Those woes had brought the end of the Thomas Frank era after just seven months and now Tudor must navigate a way forward for an injury-ravaged squad low on confidence.

The Croatian will at least know some of the squad after working with them at Juventus. Although they are both currently out with a hamstring and knee injuries respectively, Tudor worked with both Rodrigo Bentancur and Dejan Kulusevski during his season as Andrea Pirlo's assistant head coach.

There was also a young Romanian centre-back at Juventus named Radu Dragusin who was called up in that 2020/21 season from the U23s squad to train with the team and he appeared in four senior matches during the campaign, once in the Champions League, once in Serie A and two appearances in the Coppa Italia.

FOLLOW OUR TOTTENHAM FB PAGE! Latest Spurs news, analysis and much more via our dedicated Facebook page

There may have also been a fourth Tottenham player who might have worked briefly with Tudor and that's the currently suspended captain Cristian Romero. The Argentine was signed by Juventus before being loaned back to Genoa.

However there was a period of time when the defender was back at Juve, with Tudor joining the coaching staff on August 21, 2020 and Romero not moving on to Atalanta on a two-year loan with an option to buy until September 5. So the former Croatia defender may just have worked briefly for a couple of weeks with the Argentina international before his move to Atalanta, from where he joined Spurs in 2022.

Our Tottenham correspondents Alasdair Gold and Ryan Taylor spoke in depth about Igor Tudor, his arrival in north London, his new-look coaching staff and his first game being Sunday's north London derby on their podcast Talking Tottenham. You can listen to the latest episode of their show by clicking here for the podcast or going right here to watch it on YouTube.

The Tottenham Hotspur interim head coach has been speaking about the club and one word was notable by its absence

Igor Tudor appeared to make a concerted effort to avoid one key word during his first interview as Tottenham's interim head coach.

The Croatian delivered a strong first address to the Spurs fans in his five-minute club interview on Tuesday and will speak to the media at his first press conference at Hotspur Way on Friday afternoon ahead of his debut in the dugout for the North London Derby on Sunday at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Tudor has replaced Thomas Frank after the Dane was sacked just seven months into the job with Tottenham sitting 16th in the Premier League table and just five points above the drop zone. The club's fans never really took to the former Brentford boss and many pointed back to his first press conference when he came out with a phrase that would ultimately define his tenure.

"I promise you one thing, one thing is 100% sure, we will lose football matches," said the 52-year-old and Spurs did, many times.

It was noticeable that Tudor did not mention losing or defeats even once during his first interview and the 47-year-old is likely to steer away from any such associated words on Friday at his Premier League press conference debut.

"Big challenge for me, big honour to be here, I'm very happy. In the same way, I don't think too much about myself, because I'm focused on work to do. Wherever you go, it's always about your relationship with the place, with the team, with the town," said the former Juventus boss.

"There are a lot of similarities, even if this is like the NBA of European football, this is the best of the best, so it's a privilege to be here. First priority is to give everything the team needs in these moments. The team needs, I believe, first of all to get some confidence, to get some courage, but also in the same way, the concrete things in the pitch.

FOLLOW OUR TOTTENHAM FB PAGE! Latest Spurs news, analysis and much more via our dedicated Facebook page

"Of course, I'm coming here knowing the situation is not easy, there's no time to find excuses. What I said from the first day here, each of us, each of the players, need to give something, something more, something extra, because the position of the club at this moment is not that anybody can accept. Every fan of Tottenham cannot accept the situation.

"We are aware of that, but it's not enough to just be aware of that. I like to be positive, I like to play offensive football. Of course, that's my first goal I have, that I like to score the goal, but in the same way, for sure, I need to give organisation in defence, give the clear structure of what you want to play."

He added: "I believe that in football, in 2026, it's changed a lot. It's changing year by year, so more physical players, let's say, it's crucial. If you can run 115 kilometres as a team, it's better than 105. That means that you have one player extra, so there is nothing strange to choose that direction, of course. It's always about motivated players that understand this thing about running, about the physical aspect of football, which is sometimes not easy.

"But that without quality, you cannot do nothing. So, technical skills, intelligence to see, to recognise the situation, speech is always above everything. So, you need to find a mix about both things. And about winning or drawing, that's true. I never saw the coach who said that he can play for draw. It's not possible. So, offensive football, yes, but smart. So, that's the key."

Igor Tudor took charge of Tottenham training on Monday as the players returned from a five-day break ahead of this weekend's north London derby against Arsenal

Eagle-eyed Tottenham supporters have spotted a potential early fitness boost for Igor Tudor in video footage posted on the club's social media platforms.

The Croatian boss took charge of his first session on Monday at Hotspur Way as Spurs gear up for this weekend's crunch north London derby against arch-rivals Arsenal.

Although we'll have to wait for an official update from Tudor in Friday's press conference, it looks like Richarlison did take part - however big or small - in training.

The Brazilian forward, who has been missing since the FA Cup defeat to Aston Villa in January with a hamstring injury, was pictured in the background of a clip jogging with the group.

His return would provide a timely boost for the Europa League winners as they have recently been without 12 key first-team players.

FOLLOW OUR TOTTENHAM FB PAGE! Latest Spurs news, analysis and much more via our dedicated Facebook page

Wilson Odobert's ACL tear against Newcastle was the club's 11th injury while captain Cristian Romero remains suspended following his red card against Manchester United.

Spurs are notably short in attack at this moment in time and if Richarlison is able to prove his fitness, he would provide competition and support for the likes of Dominic Solanke and Randal Kolo Muani, respectively.

Kolo Muani previously worked under Tudor during his loan spell at Juventus last season, so he knows the Croatian tactician reasonably well from his time in Turin.

Tudor has also coached Rodrigo Bentancur and Dejan Kulusevski at Juve, while Radu Dragusin was also on their books during Tudor's stint as Andrea Pirlo's assistant.

Speaking during his first interview as interim boss, Tudor boldly claimed now is not the time for Tottenham to feel sorry for themselves as he bids to ease their relegation fears. He said: "The first priority is to give everything the team needs in these moments. "The team needs, first of all, to get some confidence, to get some courage, but also in the same way, the concrete things on the pitch. "I'm coming here knowing the situation is not easy. There is no time to find excuses. "What I said from the first day here [is] each of us, each of the players need to give something more, something extra, because the position of the club in this moment is not [one] that anybody can accept. Every fan of Tottenham cannot accept the situation. We are aware of that, but it's not enough to just be aware of that."

Tottenham Hotspur will miss out on hundreds of millions of pounds if they're relegated from the Premier League and fail to qualify for the Champions League

Tottenham Hotspur could be dealt a significant financial blow at the end of the season. The Lilywhites have been sucked into a relegation battle, having failed to win any of their last eight Premier League games.

Spurs are just five points adrift of the bottom three, and they've got some difficult fixtures on the horizon. Determined to return to winning ways and climb the English top flight, Tottenham sacked Thomas Frank and appointed Igor Tudor as interim head coach.

The former Juventus boss will lock horns with Mikel Arteta in the North London Derby on Sunday afternoon. The Lilywhites will then face Fulham, Crystal Palace, and Liverpool before a relegation showdown against Nottingham Forest ahead of the March international break.

While Tudor has been tasked with keeping Tottenham in the division, higher-ups will have had their eyes on Champions League football at the start of the campaign. So, with that being said, football.london has looked at the cost relegation from the Premier League and failure to secure European football.

FOLLOW OUR TOTTENHAM FB PAGE! Latest Spurs news, analysis and much more via our dedicated Facebook page

How much would Premier League relegation cost Tottenham?

If Tottenham were to be relegated from the Premier League, they could be left with a '£100m black hole'. The Lilywhites would initially receive a series of parachute payments, which are deposited over a three-year period, but they would receive significantly less in television revenue.

In an interview with The Daily Mail, football finance expert Kieran Maguire said: "The costs of relegation to clubs of that stature are probably in the region of £100million. The club that finished bottom of the Premier League two years ago, the last set of data we have, got £111m.

"I think by the end of this season, we’ll be looking somewhere in the region of £120m from the television companies alone. That will drop to around £45m in the Championship. So that is already about £75m."

Meanwhile, matchday income would plummet, with Spurs likely unable to justify the same prices they charge in the English top flight. Maguire added: "You then look at gate receipts.

"I don’t think clubs will necessarily have to cut prices as far as season tickets are concerned because you’re offering more matches in the Championship than in the Premier League but for matchday tickets, if West Ham have Hull or Swansea on a Tuesday night, they’re not going to be able to charge prices to the level they have in the Premier League.

"Matchday revenues from hospitality will be substantially down because the commercial department really will have their work cut out to sell all those boxes."

Commercial revenue could also take a hit. Tottenham currently have an official kit provider deal with Nike, which runs until 2033, and, according to The Telegraph, it's worth about £30m a year.

As it stands, it remains unclear whether relegation to the Championship would impact the agreement, however, the report later pointed out that, under the terms of its agreement as kit manufacturer, Adidas could terminate its deal with Manchester United at one full season's notice or halve payments if they were to go down.

The Telegraph also reported that the Red Devils had to pay Adidas a penalty fee worth £10m for failing to qualify for the Champions League two years in a row. Tottenham also have a global principal and front-of-shirt deal with AIA, which is reportedly worth £40m a year.

In November 2025, the Lilywhites announced that the Hong Kong-based life insurance and financial services company will remain the club's front-of-shirt sponsor and global principal partner until the end of the 2026/2027 season, before becoming the training wear sponsor until 2032.

According to The Telegraph, the aforementioned AIA deal is thought to be worth between £10m and £15m a year. As per the latest set of accounts, Spurs earned £144.5m from sponsorship revenue, up from £141.3m in 2023.

Speaking to The Daily Mail, Maguire added: "In the Championship, [relegated clubs] are getting probably a fifth or a 10th of the money coming from your shirt sponsor deals compared to the Premier League because your matches are not going out to all those different countries.

"You won’t be able to charge for perimeter advertising to the same extent and so on. You add all those numbers together and they have a £100m black hole they will have to fill."

How much would no European football cost Tottenham?

If Tottenham were to fail to qualify for the Champions League, they could miss out on as much as £120m in prize money from UEFA – not to mention the eye-watering sum they'd be awarded if, this season, they either won the competition or placed in top four, potentially five, of the Premier League.

Last term, Paris Saint-Germain were the first team to benefit from the expanded new format, which paid out an extra £350m (€400m) in prize money, increasing the prize pool to a staggering £2.15bn (€2.47bn). The French giants pocketed £126m (€144m) for their efforts, humiliating Inter Milan in the final.

Last season, Aston Villa were the only quarterfinalist to bank less than £87.2m (€100m), taking home a UEFA payment of £73m (€83.7m). This term, Tottenham have already managed to get their hands on £43.94m in prize money after such an impressive group phase campaign.

Even if Spurs only managed to qualify for the Europa League or the Conference League, which pays out much less, they'd miss out on the chance to rake in a nine-figure sum...

Here's every word Igor Tudor said in his first interview since being named as the interim head coach of Tottenham Hotspur

Igor Tudor has explained what he wants to bring to Tottenham Hotspur in his first interview after being named interim head coach.

Spurs appointed the 47-year-old Croatian until the end of the season after Thomas Frank was sacked just seven months into his tenure at the north London club. Now Tudor must pick up the pieces and get the 16th-placed Lilywhites back on track as they currently sit perilously just five points above West Ham in 18th place in the Premier League.

The Croatian's first match is a North London Derby on Sunday afternoon, with Mikel Arteta's title hopefuls making the short trip across the capital.

Here's what Tudor, who has been parachuted in to improve clubs like Juventus, Lazio and Udinese in the past, said in his first interview with the club.

"Big challenge for me, big honour to be here, I'm very happy. In the same way, I don't think too much about myself, because I'm focused on work to do. Wherever you go, it's always about your relationship with the place, with the team, with the town," he said.

"There are a lot of similarities, even if this is like the NBA of European football, this is the best of the best, so it's a privilege to be here. First priority is to give everything the team needs in these moments. The team needs, I believe, first of all to get some confidence, to get some courage, but also in the same way, the concrete things in the pitch.

"Of course, I'm coming here knowing the situation is not easy, there's no time to find excuses. What I said from the first day here, each of us, each of the players, need to give something, something more, something extra, because the position of the club at this moment is not that anybody can accept. Every fan of Tottenham cannot accept the situation.

"We are aware of that, but it's not enough to just be aware of that. I like to be positive, I like to play offensive football. Of course, that's my first goal I have, that I like to score the goal, but in the same way, for sure, I need to give organisation in defence, give the clear structure of what you want to play."

FOLLOW OUR TOTTENHAM FB PAGE! Latest Spurs news, analysis and much more via our dedicated Facebook page

He added: "The situation is not easy, because, as you know better than me, we have a lot of injured players, so we need first to find the best system, the suit for the players that are available in this moment. So, a very particular moment, maybe this can sound strange, but I believe that the thing that we need to be focused on is the training. So, the training from today, that's the key, because, as I always like to say, Sunday and the game is a consequence of the training.

"So, that needs to be focused. The coach needs to show the path, where is the way we want to go, how we want to go, and the players need to accept this, and together, in this way, preparing during the week is the best thing for Sunday."

Tudor is looking forward to reuniting with some old acquaintances as well from his Juventus days.

"Yeah, I know some players, I've also coached Dejan [Kulusevski] and Rodrigo [Bentancur]. Unfortunately, they are not now available to play immediately, but they are here in the dressing room, for sure. But I find all players very available to react, let's say like this. I believe in style, and style is more important than the system, of course," he said.

"As I said, a very particular moment, so every club has its particularity. Yeah, can I say this word? That is first as a culture of the club, which kind of football they like, so it's always important to think about that. But in the same way, not forget who I am, what I want the team to achieve, but thinking, this player can do this.

"So, I need to be with my staff, very intelligent, to find the best possible way to get out in a very, very short time. It was a good first session, we started to know each other. It was one hour, because we had five days free, so first training is not too much, and tomorrow we start to work serious.

"Big week, yes, big week, important games. Important game, we know everybody. This derby is a fantastic game to play. We want to play this game in a way that our fans will like.

"So, going and give everything what we have, in the right way, brave, but in the same way intelligent and smart, to achieve what we want, and that's the victory."

Tudor is looking for his team to be a powerful, physical one in the remaining weeks of the season in order to get back on track.

"I believe that in football, in 2026, it's changed a lot. It's changing year by year, so more physical players, let's say, it's crucial," said the Croatian.

"If you can run 115 kilometres as a team, it's better than 105. That means that you have one player extra, so there is nothing strange to choose that direction, of course. It's always about motivated players that understand this thing about running, about the physical aspect of football, which is sometimes not easy.

"But that without quality, you cannot do nothing. So, technical skills, intelligence to see, to recognise the situation, speech is always above everything. So, you need to find a mix about both things. And about winning or drawing, that's true. I never saw the coach who said that he can play for draw. It's not possible. So, offensive football, yes, but smart. So, that's the key."