will it unlock spur? scary and brutally honest message from De Zerbi will be exactly what Tottenham need to improve

will it unlock spur? scary and brutally honest message from De Zerbi will be exactly what Tottenham need to improve.

During a lively training session overseen by Roberto De Zerbi, the Tottenham head coach showed that he still possesses the technical ability he displayed during his playing days in Serie A. De Zerbi, who once operated as a creative number 10 during his career in Italy, produced a moment of quality while restarting one of the squad’s six-a-side training games.

As play resumed, the Italian tactician demonstrated his impressive touch by executing a perfectly weighted dragged backheel. The clever pass rolled directly into the path of Richarlison, who reacted quickly. The Brazilian forward made no mistake, calmly striking the ball into the bottom-left corner of the net to finish the move in style.

However, the goal immediately sparked complaints from players on the opposing side, who jokingly accused the manager of favouring Richarlison’s team. Hearing the protests, De Zerbi responded loudly and playfully to the group, insisting: “Hey, I’m the same with anybody!” His comment drew laughs around the training ground but also set up an amusing moment during the next restart.

Determined to prove he had no favourites, De Zerbi changed his approach the following time play resumed. Instead of a clever pass, he simply booted the ball high into the air, leaving both teams to battle for possession. Richarlison sprinted forward to compete for the dropping ball, but it was João Palhinha who rose highest to win the aerial duel.

Palhinha directed a smart header toward Mathys Tel, and the young French forward showed excellent composure. Tel struck the ball powerfully and accurately, firing it into the net to secure victory for his side in the small-sided match.

Missing players in training

While the training ground footage offered some entertaining moments, it also highlighted the absence of several key Tottenham players. Based on the training video and photographs released from Friday’s session, a number of familiar faces were not spotted on the pitches.

Club captain Cristian Romero was notably missing from the session. The Argentine defender had only recently returned from international duty and is believed to have been one of the last players to arrive back after travelling across the world. His absence could simply be part of a recovery period following the demanding international schedule.

Midfielder Pape Matar Sarr was another player not seen in the training clips. The Senegal international had already missed his country’s second international match due to a shoulder issue, and it appears the injury may still be keeping him out of full training.

Similarly, Pedro Porro did not feature in the available training footage following his time away with the Spanish national team.

In addition to those returning from international duty, Tottenham also continue to monitor the recovery of several injured players. One of the most notable absentees remains goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, who is still recovering after undergoing surgery for a hernia problem. As of the latest training footage, the Italian shot-stopper has yet to rejoin the group in full training.

With an important away fixture approaching, De Zerbi will be hoping to welcome some of those missing players back to the training pitch soon. Tottenham are preparing for a crucial trip to the Stadium of Light to face Sunderland A.F.C. next weekend, and having a stronger squad available could prove vital as they continue their preparations for the match.