2026-05-19 10:51:45

Roberto De Zerbi believes that his Tottenham players should be motivated by rival fans wanting to see the team relegated.

Spurs will effectively secure Premier League survival if they avoid defeat at London rivals Chelsea on Tuesday (19.05.26) and the coach hopes that his players can silence those who are keen to see the club drop out of the top-flight.

De Zerbi said: “I am Italian and in Italy it’s the same. For the biggest teams, it’s the same. We have to accept the pressure. We have to enjoy this pressure. We have to find new motivation from this pressure. It’s a good thing for us. If everyone wants Tottenham relegated, it’s a big motivation for me and I hope for my players as well.

“We have to accept that football is nice because of the rivalries. It’s good to imagine ourselves celebrating the win in their stadium. If everyone wants Tottenham relegated, I think for one Tottenham player, one Tottenham fan, all the people who work inside Tottenham, it has to be the biggest motivation.”

Spurs have a dismal record against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge – having only won once at the home of the Blues since 1990 – but De Zerbi insists that past results are irrelevant for his side.

The manager said: “We spoke this morning about this record [at Stamford Bridge].

“But the most important is the spirit, the personality for tomorrow – to play a good game, to make points. I explained that the last win before Wolves was 28 December and then we won two games in a row. It’s not the record that is important. It’s the mood, how you go to play the game.”

Previous games between Tottenham and Chelsea have been fiery affairs but De Zerbi has urged his players to keep their cool as they bid to secure safety.

He said: “Always calm with the blood, with personality, with the right spirit.

“Focus just on the game. Because in our last one against Leeds [the 1-1 draw], when (Antonin) Kinsky saved [in stoppage time], we went too strong, too fast, too strong on the ball. Sometimes we have to be more calm.”

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