Chelsea 1-2 Spurs | Every word of Roberto De Zerbi’s post-match press conference in Sydney

Here's what he had to say...

What did you make of the match – strange to have a red card in a friendly?

Roberto: “I think we played a great first half. We played very well. In the second half I think it (the red card) changed the game for us, for sure, for the fans and for Chelsea as well because it was worse for us and for Chelsea because if you consider the condition of the pitch, very bad, and if you consider we are starting from two weeks, less than three weeks, in the second half you start the fatigue and playing attacking against 10 players behind the line of the ball is tough for every team, especially because we took a risk for the injury for the players. I can understand the red card changed and the substitution for the level of football for every one of us. At the end I am happy because we have not three points on the table, I know very well, but we have to change habits and we have to change habits in the result, to believe in the result until the end, even if we stay one player less, even if we are suffering. The value of the result is important also in the friendly game, also three weeks before the Premier League starts.”

You got good minutes into the legs of players like Sandro Tonali, Archie Gray…

Roberto: “Sandro Tonali, Archie and Ben Davies, all three played more than the plan was before the game, like Robertson and Lucas Bergvall, but they are good. I am so happy for the young players because Malachi, Rio, Tye, Kota, they have been in this period very important for us, very good players.”

In your eyes, what is Richarlison’s future?

Roberto:  “I don't know. As a player, as a guy, it is unbelievable, his attitude and behaviour, but at the end we have to respect what he wants to do. We know, every one of us knows what he wants to do, but for me he is still an important player because it is not so easy to find another striker as Richarlison, because Richarlison scores goals and he knows the way. The new striker, we don't know. The other striker, we don't know. He scored 12 goals last season, not for luck, because he feels the way to score. I don't know, I didn't understand well, because sometimes he said to stay, sometimes he leaves. We have to speak anyway, there is not any problem. He is a lovely guy. All of us love him, the team-mates, the club, the staff, because he works hard every day, seriously every day, and we can't say anything each.”

A lot of Australian Spurs fans get up very early in the morning to watch Spurs play. What do you think about those fans and the atmosphere they created tonight?

Roberto: “ It was an incredible atmosphere. We are very happy to make them happy and proud for us. My group feels the love from the fans and every one of them, my players, want to give something back to them. We know in the last two seasons we have not played like the people want, like the fans want, like the history of the club says, but we are working to do better and better than last season.”

You made Archie Gray the captain in all the games. What is the reason behind that? Is that a message in any way or is he a real contender?

Roberto: “Because I am the coach, I decide! No, because I spoke with Ben Davies before to speak with Archie Gray, because the natural captain today was Ben Davies. Anyway, I think it has been more important for Archie Gray than for Ben Davies, because it is like giving Archie something more as confidence. Last season I said he is the future of the club, but also the present. He is important for us because he can cover two, three positions on the pitch. He doesn't love too much playing in the right-back position, but I think to be a captain you have to think first of all for the group, for the team, for the club, and then for yourself. So, it was something more to give him, because he deserves to be important for this club, even if he plays in a different position, even if he doesn't play in the first eleven. But he is important, like Bergvall, because for Lucas I have the same opinion, the same idea.”

It's been reported in South America that the club have agreed to sell Cristian Romero to Inter. Have you been able to give any updates?

Roberto: "No, I don't know. I texted Cuti yesterday, this morning and yesterday, but to make a plan when he has to come to London. But no, for the transfer market. And also, it's not my job. You have to ask Johan Lange and Vinai. I know there are many solutions in the transfer market, but I don't follow the negotiation.”

Have you built up to this game, because the intensity in the first half seemed like Premier League level?

Roberto: “Forget me, the physical staff’s decisions are amazing, and we are working to build a clear plan, considering the potential injury, minutes the player’s are going to play — a lot of things. Because now we have to work almost individually. Player for player, you have to create the plan. For example, was 45 minutes for J.P. Van Hecke, Solanke, and Robertson, but Udogie couldn't play, so we pushed Robertson 15, 20 minutes more. Lucas Bergvall the same. Now, especially after the World Cup, you have to manage in a different way.”

How good can Antonin Kinsky be?

Roberto: “Yes, I think he can improve and build up a lot. He will reach for sure the top, working with the goalkeeper coach, with me. We created the training just for him to understand better the free player, to understand better the first man, to understand better everything he needs, because he is very clear with the pass, but he can become faster in the decision, in the build-up. He has all qualities to become one of the best also in the build-up, the distribution.”

How important is it for this season to bring that passion of the underdog?

Roberto: “I don't know. I think for all jobs, the passion is important, because the passion is how you feel what you are doing and how you want, how it is important for you, your work. One part of myself is the passion. I think I'm a normal coach, not a different coach. But maybe I give in my work something more than normal than the other coaches."