Tottenham manager Roberto de Zerbi demands squad silence internal negativity as relegation battle intensifies
Despite a recent victory over Wolves, Tottenham remain two points behind West Ham with four games remaining, prompting De Zerbi to warn against excuses regarding injuries and infrastructure
Tottenham Hotspur manager Roberto de Zerbi has issued a stark warning to his players and staff to "silence the voice inside of us" as the club enters the final stretch of the Premier League season. The directive comes as Spurs, who secured their first league victory of 2026 against bottom-side Wolves, find themselves in the relegation zone just two points behind 17th-placed West Ham. With only four matches remaining, the manager insists that internal doubt is the team's greatest adversary in their bid to avoid their first relegation since the 1976–77 season.
Speaking ahead of the crucial fixture against fifth-placed Aston Villa, De Zerbi delivered an impassioned address to the squad, rejecting any narrative that attributes their poor form to external factors. He explicitly dismissed suggestions that the team's struggles stem from bad luck, a lack of quality medical staff, or inadequate training pitches, labelling such thoughts as "rubbish". The manager emphasised that the team must stop "crying" about their situation and instead focus on fighting hard on the pitch, stating that negativity is the only thing that can truly defeat them.
The squad faces a significant challenge with a depleted roster, as key figures Xavi Simons and Dominic Solanke are unavailable due to injury. Simons, who was ruled out for the remainder of the campaign after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament against Wolves, joins a lengthy list of absentees that includes Guglielmo Vicario, Ben Davies, Mohammed Kudus, Dejan Kulusevski, Wilson Odobert, and Cristian Romero. Solanke suffered a hamstring injury during the match at Molineux, further thinning the resources available for the upcoming run-in.
Despite the injury crisis, De Zerbi remains confident in the depth of his squad, highlighting the quality of players such as Randal Kolo Muani, Mathys Tel, and Richarlison as viable alternatives to the injured stars. He noted that while the absence of Simons and Solanke is a blow, the team possesses the talent to compete against top opposition. The manager stressed that winning even one game in this context would not be a miracle, but a realistic expectation given the quality of the remaining roster.
The immediate fixture list presents a difficult test for the London club, with matches against Aston Villa, Leeds United, Chelsea, and Everton awaiting. James Maddison, who has not featured this season following an ACL injury sustained in a pre-season friendly in South Korea, is expected to return within the next three games. However, De Zerbi cautioned that while Maddison is a special player, his physical condition must be carefully considered before he is deployed in these critical encounters.
As the season concludes, the pressure mounts on De Zerbi, who became the club's third manager of the season in March, to deliver a performance that secures the club's top-flight status. The manager's message is clear: the team must be positive, trust in their ideas, and work hard to ensure they do not join the ranks of the relegated. With the stakes at their highest, the focus for Tottenham must remain entirely on the pitch and the quality of their performance in the coming weeks.
