Roberto De Zerbi couldn’t hide his reaction at full time as Tottenham Hotspur scored late on at bottom club Wolves to grab their first league win of 2026 and boost their hopes of staying in the Premier League.
The relief, passion and joy on his face was clear for all to see.
Spurs’ win combined with West Ham’s win against Everton (courtesy of a late, late winner from Callum Wilson) on Saturday means the north London giants are still in the relegation zone with four games to go as they are two points from safety.
“Nothing has changed in the table but we can prepare much better for the next four games,” De Zerbi said. “We have to believe because we have enough quality to win the games. The players are very good players and this three points I think, and I hope, can become important for the head, the mentality, the enthusiasm to prepare the next games.”
There is still a long, long way to go in this relegation scrap but Italian coach De Zerbi will be delighted that his side found a way to win it when it mattered most and will use that as fuel moving forward.
Here is the latest Roberto De Zerbi reaction from Molineux.
Roberto De Zerbi reaction
On how good it feels: “We were working for a win. We played 30-35 minutes very well in the first half. Okay we didn’t create too many chances but we had control of the game. Then the last 10 minutes in the first half we lost the distances. In the second half maybe the pressure to win this game and we didn’t play well but today was very important three points and we prepare the next four games,” De Zerbi told the BBC.
On the belief never going from the players: “Yes but the quality of the players are so high. We have to play. We don’t lose our style. We can’t lose the order on the pitch. Otherwise it becomes confusion on the pitch. We can’t show the quality of the players if we play like in the second half. But in terms of attitude and spirit great 90 minutes.”
That attitude and spirit is going to be crucial in these next four games: “Yes, but the ball also. Because without the ball we can’t win the game. These players are good enough to win with the ball. They have to enjoy with the ball. To keep the ball and we can play much better than the second half.”
On his sub Joao Palhinha scoring the winner and being an unlikely hero: “Joao Palhinha is one of the players who started in the first 11. Is a top player for us. I think the connection between Bentancur and Bissouma is very high. For that I prefer these two players. It is important if Palhinha plays 90 minutes or 20 minutes, like Mathys Tel he played very well, like Richarlison, now we need everyone.”
On Antonin Kinsky’s late save to deny Wolves an equalizer: “I am very happy for him. Very proud for him. He deserves everything because he suffered a lot after the game in Champions League. He is playing very well and he was crucial for this three points because at the end he made a great play.”
Psychologically people can stop talking about Spurs not winning a game in 2026, what does that do?: “I think for the head, the mentality it is important this game. Because they won a lot of games in Champions League, I think Champions League is not more easy than Premier League. But when you don’t win a game for a long time like us it becomes a problem.”
