Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi urges his side to show character in a must-win final day clash against Everton to avoid relegation.
LONDON: Roberto De Zerbi has urged relegation-haunted Tottenham to play with “blood and spirit” in Sunday’s do-or-die clash against Everton.
Tottenham will be condemned to a humiliating relegation to the Championship if they lose at home to Everton and West Ham defeat Leeds.
De Zerbi’s fourth-bottom side are two points ahead of third-bottom West Ham heading into the final day of the season.
A draw would also likely be enough to save Tottenham from playing in the second tier for the first time since 1977-78 because of their vastly superior goal difference to West Ham.
In keeping with a turbulent season for Tottenham, their injured captain Cristian Romero’s decision to fly to Argentina to continue his rehabilitation rather than stay with the club on their judgement day has angered fans.
But De Zerbi insisted Romero’s decision and Tottenham’s injury problems could not be used as excuses by his players.
“I don’t want to answer about Romero, about (Dejan) Kulusevski. They can’t play, they don’t play and they are not here. My focus is on Djed Spence, on (Randal) Kolo Muani, on Richarlison,” he said.
“We have to play and to play with blood, with character and with spirit because it’s a final. They played a great final last season and they won a trophy.
“Maybe there was a bonus, no? After tomorrow, there is not a trophy, there is not a bonus, there is something more important than a trophy and a bonus, there is the future of the club.
“There is the history of the club, there is the pride of the players, there is the pride of the family of the players, there is the dignity of every one of us, and for that, I can’t lose energy thinking about the next season.”
