London (AFP) – Roberto De Zerbi has urged his Tottenham team to play with "blood, character and spirit" as they battle to avoid a first relegation in 49 years on Sunday.
Issued on: 22/05/2026 - 18:04
2 min Reading time
Roberto De Zerbi is battling to save Tottenham from a first relegation in nearly 50 years © Ben STANSALL / AFP/File
A draw against Everton on the final day of the Premier League season will all but certainly save Spurs as 18th-placed West Ham, two points behind, have a significantly inferior goal difference.Nuno Espirito Santo's Hammers host Leeds at the London Stadium on the same day, with all 10 games kicking off at 1500 GMT."We have to play with blood, with character, with spirit because it's a final," De Zerbi said at his pre-match press conference on Friday."They played a great final last season (in the Europa League) and they won a trophy," he added. "Maybe there was a bonus. (On Sunday) there is not a trophy, there is not a bonus. "There is something more important than the trophy and the 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 families of the players. "There is the dignity of every one of us."Injured captain Cristian Romero has flown back to Argentina and will miss the relegation decider, sparking anger among Spurs fans.De Zerbi, appointed as head coach late March to save Tottenham after a disastrous season, said he could "100 per cent" understand the reaction of supporters."The decision was with the medical staff, and I think he can't change nothing if Romero tomorrow is in the stadium or not," said De Zerbi."And finally, I have no time to lose energy, to lose thinking about other things. We have to be focused just on the game, and I think we have the players good enough to achieve our target."Quizzed further on whether Romero had played his last game for Spurs, De Zerbi said: "I don't know."I think Cristian is a top player and with me he was a top guy," he said. "When I say top guy it's because I'm sure what I'm saying. For the future I don't know."West Ham boss Nuno said Sunday's home game would be the biggest of his 14-year managerial career as the club target victory."We represent a huge club, a massive club, with an enormous fan base that we have to respect and try to make them proud of us," he said."They'll be there from the first minute, I can assure you. Then it's up to us to deliver so the support continues."
