"Roberto De Zerbi says the idea that everyone wants Tottenham relegated ought to motivate his players as they look to set aside the club's dismal record against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge to get the result they need to stay up. Spurs have won once at Stamford Bridge since 1990 but they need only a draw on Tuesday night to all but ensure they survive in the Premier League and West Ham go down."
"De Zerbi has spoken to his squad about the Stamford Bridge hoodoo but mainly to tell them it is not something to worry about. He has been all about the power of positive thought since he came to the club five matches ago and he leaned into it when he addressed those who would revel in Spurs's demise. I am Italian and in Italy it's the same, De Zerbi said. 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."
"De Zerbi made the point that when he took over from Igor Tudor at the end of March, Spurs had not won in the league since 28 December at Crystal Palace. But after they beat Wolves in his third match, they followed it up with a win against Aston Villa to climb out of the bottom three. We spoke this morning about this record [at Stamford Bridge], De Zerbi said. But the most important is the spirit, the personality for tomorrow to play a good game, to make points."
Roberto De Zerbi frames the belief that many want Tottenham relegated as motivation for his players ahead of a Premier League match at Stamford Bridge. Tottenham have won there only once since 1990, and a draw would likely secure survival while West Ham face relegation. De Zerbi tells his squad not to fear the Stamford Bridge record and instead to enjoy the pressure and extract new motivation from it. He emphasizes that football’s appeal comes from rivalries and the chance to celebrate in an opponent’s stadium. He also points to recent improvements after taking charge, including wins that lifted Tottenham out of the bottom three.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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