Roberto De Zerbi's Press Conference Comments Ahead Of Chelsea Trip

Tottenham Hotspur make the short trip to West London to face Xabi Alonso’s Chelsea, looking to secure back-to-back Premier League wins for the first time since Thomas Frank’s brief reign in charge in N17.

Roberto De Zerbi’s side beat newly promoted Coventry City 3-1 on Monday night, with goals from James Maddison, new summer signing Omar Marmoush, and long-term Spurs defender Ben Davies. Speaking ahead of this weekend's London derby, De Zerbi provided injury updates. Roberto: "Pedro is back, Robertson is available, Marmoush is good, Solanke is good. Lucas Bergvall, Savio, nothing more I think... Bentancur."

Pedro Porro returns after recovering from the hamstring injury sustained against Aston Villa before the extended international break. Left-back Destiny Udgoie has been out since the Manchester United game and continues to struggle to stay fit.

Spurs have a terrible record at Stamford Bridge, and Tottenham traditionally fail to pick up any points from the fixture, with one win in 34 league matches at Chelsea. "I think it's not just this negative record. There are many, many negative records, but for me it's one motivation more. For the players, I want this negative record; it gives us more motivation, more mentality, more energy to win a game, to play a good game, because we have enough qualities to win a game, this game."

Tottenham and Chelsea’s rivalry has been shaped by decades of hostility between supporters. Spurs won the first all-London FA Cup final in 1967, beating Chelsea 2-1 at Wembley. Tottenham also triumphed in the 2008 League Cup final, before Chelsea reversed the outcome in 2015.

Perhaps their most notorious meeting came in May 2016, when a bruising 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge ended Tottenham’s title challenge and confirmed Leicester as champions. Known as the “Battle of the Bridge”

Roberto: "Yes, it's a derby against one very good team, very good coach, they have a clear style of play, great players, but also Tottenham players are very good. The level of the players is high. We have to show together as a team, not as an individual."

De Zerbi said, following Bentancur's red card at United, that he liked the player's reaction, which he claims helped Spurs level late on against Michael Carrick’s side. Roberto: "Yes, where is the balance? It's always very difficult to fix a balance between the energy, the spirit, the mentality, and to step inside. If you have confidence in the players, you leave the players the freedom to decide their behaviour, to decide their reaction. For sure, I prefer one too strong reaction than one player without blood, without reaction.”

Roberto De Zerbi has managed against Chelsea six times in competitive matches, winning two and losing four, a total of five meetings with Brighton and one with Tottenham.

Roberto: "I think every game is different. We change many players, they change not too many players, but they change coach, two coaches in the last two seasons. But nothing changes, you have to run, you have to fight, you have to put the same behaviour we are putting in the last two games, and then there is the game, to play with personality, with courage, to find a way to score, to find a way to defend in the best way we can with courage. Nothing more."

Tottenham used three centre-backs in their 3-1 won over Coventry Ciry, with Sandro Tonali anchoring midfield and James Maddison, Omar Marmoush and Archie Gray operating between the lines. Andy Robertson and Mohammed Kudus provided width around Dominic Solanke. De Zerbi’s setup aimed to control Coventry’s counterattacks, but slow passing initially struggled to break down the visitors’ compact defensive block.

Roberto: "We kept the ball against Coventry, we didn't create too many chances, like in Manchester or Aston Villa also. But there is a reason, because when you find a low block so close, 5-4-1 or 5-3-2 or 4-4-1-1, it's still difficult. If you watch the game Man City vs Coventry, considering Man City one of the best teams in Europe, also Man City didn't shoot too many times, because it's a totally different game than a more open game. I think last season, the last game with Chelsea, we could make a great result. We conceded one stupid goal, but now it's completely changed the situation."

James Maddison made his first Tottenham start since May 2024 and scored, highlighting how often he's been left out of the starting eleven. Dejan Kulusevski returned after over 500 days out injured, and both require assessment after their involvement against Coventry, with De Zerbi remaining cautious as they rebuild fitness after lengthy absences.

Roberto: "I don't know, because in the first three days Maddison didn't work with us, I don't know if he's ready for tomorrow. We can play also with Mathys Tel, we can play with Marmoush, we can play with Gallagher, or we have more solutions considering Pedro Porro can play. Like I said many times, I don't want to take risks, because if you analyse this period of European football, you can see many injuries, not for Tottenham, for everyone. So if I can, I don't want to take risks to lose many players for many games." On Deki, Roberto: "Kulusevski also. Kulusevski worked well, but in the first days he stayed individual."

Repeated injuries have disrupted Destiny Udogie’s Tottenham career. Quadriceps surgery ended his 2023/24 season, while a hamstring injury sidelined him during the following campaign.

Further hamstring and knee problems affected 2025/26. His latest knee issue, sustained against Manchester United, subsequently ruled him out of Monday’s victory over Coventry.

Roberto: "With the medical staff, we are trying to find the best way for him, because managing the player is anyway work. But after Manchester United, I have not worked with him, and this is a problem. We are lucky because we have in the same position many solutions. Robertson, Ben Davies and Micky van de Ven, if we play thee at the back. But we have to find the best for him and the best for us."

João Pedro, Morgan Rogers and Cole Palmer have quickly developed an effective understanding in Chelsea’s attack. Pedro has scored five Premier League goals, while Rogers has settled in impressively since arriving this summer. Palmer’s creativity complements their finishing, helping Chelsea score 17 goals across their opening seven league matches this season. Roberto: "One of the best, for sure." he added, "Talent, three big talents and they have also Pedro Neto, another very good player, they have Henderson and Welbeck, Estavao, they have more than three players, but these three players are in the best moment of their career."