This is the kind of Sunday that separates the ones who actually want it from the ones who just collect their wages and post gym selfies on Instagram. And Roberto De Zerbi, standing in front of his players this week, made absolutely sure everyone in that dressing room understood exactly what’s at stake.
The Captain Has Left The Building — And De Zerbi Doesn’t Want To Hear About It
Let’s address the elephant in the room first. Cristian Romero, club captain, decided to jet off to Argentina to continue his knee rehabilitation ahead of the World Cup — while his club sits just two points above the relegation zone. Two points. With one game left.
Now look, the man is injured. De Zerbi was pretty clear about that. “With me he showed always his desire to stay with us. He is injured. I’m not stupid,” he said, in the kind of tone that tells you he’s absolutely done answering questions about it. And fair enough honestly — spending the week talking about a player who isn’t even there is a waste of everyone’s time and energy when Everton are coming to town on Sunday with a manager who’d love nothing more than to send you down.
Whether Romero should’ve stayed or not is a debate for the fans on Twitter. De Zerbi has a relegation fight to win.
Blood, Character And Spirit — Not Exactly Your Average Team Talk
When your manager uses the word “blood” in a pre match press conference, you know things are serious. This wasn’t the usual “we need to be compact and work hard” nonsense that managers trot out on autopilot. De Zerbi meant every word of it.
“We have to play with blood, character and spirit because it is a final,” he said — and then he did something really smart. He reminded his players about last season’s Europa League triumph under Ange Postecoglou. That group of players stood on a big stage and delivered. De Zerbi is basically saying — you’ve done it before, you know what it feels like, now go and do it again.
Except this time there’s no trophy at the end. No bonus cheque waiting. Just the small matter of staying in the Premier League. “There is something more important,” he said. “The future and the history of the club. The pride of the players and the dignity of every one of us.”
Dignity. That word is doing a lot of heavy lifting right now for Tottenham Hotspur Football Club.
The Small Mercy — Solanke Is Back
Amid all the chaos there is at least one bit of good news floating around. Dominic Solanke is available after nearly a month out with a hamstring injury, and De Zerbi confirmed that Djed Spence — who suffered a broken jaw in Tuesday’s loss to Chelsea, which by the way is an absolutely horrific way to end your week — will also be available on Sunday.
Whether Solanke starts or comes off the bench is still up in the air but just having him available gives Spurs a different dimension going forward. Sometimes just knowing that option exists changes how a game plays out.
A Draw Is All They Need — So Why Does It Feel So Nerve Wracking
Here’s the maddening thing about Spurs’ situation. They just need a draw. One point at home against a side that hasn’t won in six games. On paper that sounds straightforward enough that you’d back them comfortably.
But this is Tottenham. And their fans have been burned enough times to know that “on paper” means absolutely nothing when the whistle blows. West Ham will be watching. David Moyes will be watching. And somewhere in Buenos Aires, Romero will probably be watching too.
De Zerbi had one last thing to say that honestly felt more like a life lesson than a team talk. “The pressure is good. This type of game you can become better as a coach, a player and a man. You can become better by going through the tough moments.”
He’s right. But try telling that to a Spurs fan on Sunday afternoon, ninety minutes away from either survival or the most embarrassing relegation in recent Premier League history.
Get it done Spurs. Because the alternative doesn’t bear thinking about. 🔥