Roberto De Zerbi has described Tottenham’s looming final-day relegation showdown against Everton as a more important game than last season’s Europa League final against Manchester United because the club’s dignity is at stake.
Spurs, who lost 2-1 at Chelsea on Tuesday night, need a draw at home on Sunday to ensure they stay up at West Ham’s expense. The Hammers, who are two points below them in the final relegation place and with a greatly inferior goal difference, play their final game at home against Leeds.
There were wild celebrations when Spurs beat United in the final in Bilbao to win their first silverware in 17 years. But De Zerbi made it clear that staying in the Premier League was fundamental.
“My focus is to prepare the next game and to make points because Sunday is the final for Tottenham, not Bilbao against Man United,” De Zerbi said. “The most important game is Sunday because last season they played for the trophy, now we play for something more important. Because the pride, the history of the club, the dignity are more important than the trophy.
“The trophy you can win, you can lose and nothing changes in your life. You can have one trophy more. But the most important is to keep the dignity, to keep the pride, to go on holiday like this [with your head up] and not like this [with your head down].”
De Zerbi was asked whether the players understood what he meant by dignity. “Very well,” he replied. “I know they do because I’m living just for Tottenham. I have lived the last 45 days just for one thing – Tottenham and for my players. I know them very well. Every one of them is focused on the target.”
De Zerbi refused to dwell on Tottenham’s penalty appeal towards the end of the game, at 2-1, when Micky van de Ven was wrestled to the ground at a corner by the Chelsea defender, Marc Cucurella. The referee, Stuart Attwell, ruled that the offence took place before the ball was in play. De Zerbi preferred to focus on a whole-hearted late push from his players, when Richarlison cut the deficit with a 74th-minute goal.
“I would like if we play Sunday like the last 20 minutes because in the last 20 minutes we showed, I think, more energy, more passion, something more inside of us,” De Zerbi said. “It’s difficult but it’s an opportunity for every one of us. When you fight for the relegation, you have to stay inside of the league until the last minute of the last game of the season. We have to stay alive. It is a big day for us.”
