The frustration surrounding Tottenham’s blunt attack was evident at the final whistle, culminating in an animated on-field exchange between De Zerbi and Mathys Tel. The forward, introduced as a second-half substitute, struggled to influence proceedings, prompting an immediate tactical debrief from his manager on the turf.
De Zerbi played down the confrontation, explaining it was simply a matter of positional instruction. “Yes, I coached him on the pitch,” he stated. “The body shape of a striker. The striker can play with the shoulder on the goal. If we are playing with James Maddison, Mohammed Kudus and Savio, he has to play as a striker, and the striker has to look at the goal, no?”
The Spurs boss further clarified that Tel needed to adjust his instincts when anticipating deliveries. “Or on the cross of Robertson. He has to stay inside because he started his career as a striker. Now he’s playing as a winger, but he started in his career as a striker,” De Zerbi explained, before insisting “there is not a problem” and reaffirming his love for the player.