A word for the fans? Fan-tastic! | Every word of Robert De Zerbi’s post-match interview with SPURSPLAY

Joao Palhinha’s goal proved enough to secure the win we needed against Everton and therefore finish a tough 2025/26 campaign in 17th place.

Emotions were running high both through the match and afterwards – here’s what Roberto had to say afterwards to SPURSPLAY.

Roberto, tell us the emotions that you feel right now...

“It's tough, no? Because I stay 50 days underwater. I don't know if it's the right word. Without the time, without... I try to help the players. I believe in my players at the beginning. I believe at the beginning, before I came, when I was in Brighton, I had a big consideration about Pedro Porro, van de Ven, Udogie, Bentancur, Palhinha, a lot of players. Today I'm happy because these fans, the club, the board of the club, Vinai, Johan, they deserve a day like this. Now I will be very, very strong because we have to build the new Tottenham. I don't want to change too many players because I'm lucky to work with... I'm lucky working with a lot of these players as guys, first of all, and as players, but we need to change the mood. I would like to compete. For what? I don't know, but we need to bring, I don't know how many players, but first level of players. I'm looking forward to start to work again because we suffered too much this season. Not just me, because I suffered 50 days, the players and the board, the fans, they suffered more than me, but now we can't lose time and we can't be too happy. We have to stay focused on our work and our plan because I have a clear plan.”

Fans will want to know - do you see clearly what you want to do next?

Roberto: “For sure. I think for every one of us, for you, for me, for you, today has been a great day. It will be a great memory today. I enjoyed it a lot because when I suffer, I'm able to give something more than my potential. We have to keep in our head this day because if we don't forget this day, I think we can become better in our work, in life, in the training, every day, push like... the right thing is every day we have to push like Tottenham-Everton.”

From this minute, you look forward – but just on the last seven games – the players have given everything, haven’t they?

Roberto: “We are lucky to live in football. It's not a normal thing to live as a coach in Tottenham stadium, as a player for the Tottenham fans and we have to defend this thing. How? By giving our best every day, not just the last seven games. Now we have to build what we need for the next season. We have to analyse the mistakes, injuries, attitude on the pitch, transfer market. When we finish the energy to live, to feel like this football, we go to Hyde Park with a dog, or we go shopping, Selfridges or Harrods.”

Just finally, do you have a word for the fans?

Roberto: “Fantastic. I think some newspapers spoke too much, I think, about the fans. I don't want nothing from them. I'm honest and I'm sincere - not too many times I've seen stadiums like this. Like in three (home) games, not just today - with Brighton, with Leeds and today, they were fantastic. Before the game, when we arrived with bus, I felt emotion, it will be a great memory for all my life.”