Forest vs Spurs | Every word of Roberto De Zerbi's pre-match press conference

Here's what he had to say...

Can you bring us up to date with team news - who is in, who isn't, any new additions, anyone back?

Roberto: "No, we are all available to play. Normally, Maddison started yesterday with us, but the other players are in good condition."

Is Savio back?

Roberto: "Savio's back, yes."

You described Mudrk in the past as like a son to you, and that he had the ability to one day win the Ballon d’Or. How good do you think he still is, how important is your relationship and can you give us a timeline of when he might be available to actually play, given that he hasn't played for almost two years?

Roberto: "I don't know how much time he needs to be available to start the game. One part of the game, I think he's ready right now to play 20, 15, 30 minutes. The first question about Mudryk. We spent a very particular season together in Shakhtar, when the war started, we were together. When I spoke about the Ballon d'Or, I was very clear. Maybe my English is not so good, but I was very clear because I was speaking about the potential of the player. The potential of the player can be the same and can respect the prediction or not. Until now, he has had many problems. The last problem, the suspension, was the problem, but in the end, the potential is clear, and now his challenge is to respect all his qualities, because he's a great player. He has to feel this season, to live this season in the right way, not too much pressure, but it's the right moment for him to show all people things, because if Chelsea paid 100 million four years ago... I think they brought in a lot of big players, and to spend 100 million, I think they thought very well about the qualities of Mudryk."

You said you could get 15-20 minutes out of him now, so there's a chance he could be in the squad?

Roberto: "Yes, I think he's ready to play part of the game. I think so."

Can you talk to us about Richarlison, where are you with his situation?

Roberto: "I think Richarlison he decided everything alone. He spoke with me at the beginning of the pre-season and told me his idea and desire was to leave. At the end, we go to bring another striker and like I said at the beginning of the pre-season, I want to keep the players, just the players that want to stay and be proud and with the right passion to stay here. Then, for everything and other problems, it is not my business, it's not my job. It is the responsibility of the club. I can’t say nothing because I didn’t decide anything. The message of Richarlison from the beginning of the season has been very clear. I accepted that and for me, nothing..."

To clarify - do you expect him to be here after the Turkish deadline closes?

Roberto: "I don’t know. I don’t know if there is an offer from Turkey. I don’t know if the club accept this offer. I know there was an offer before the end of the (English) transfer window close, but he didn’t accept. For me, nothing changes."

How special was the relationship you had with Mudryk on the pitch and off the pitch at Shakhtar? Why did you decide that now is the time to reunite?

Roberto: "Especially with a young player, I try to give my best to help them to stay close with them, also with the older players. But like I said, in Ukraine it was a very emotional season, because we were building a great team and when the war started, everything finished. So, we kept in touch with him and with the other players. Now I think he is a normal player, like van de Ven, like another player. If he deserves, he will play, or not, we have to see the physical condition first of all, and then how he can adapt in a new team, in a new club, maybe in a new style of play."

After Newcastle, you spoke about mentality - how do you sense the mentality for this weekend, and also the confidence level?

Roberto: "Yesterday we started with all the players, yesterday was the first session with a complete squad. I think anyway we are able to make a result, even we started yesterday. Then, step by step, we have to improve the mentality, we have to improve in all parts of the football."

You're facing Nottingham Forest this weekend, a very strong, very physical side. How are you hoping to cope with the challenge?

Roberto: "A good team. They playe in a very clear style of play, like Crystal Palace last season, like Eintracht Frankfurt many years ago. They play well, they have good players, but also Tottenham has very good players."

If Richarlison is not in the squad, can we assume he's not training with the squad either?

Roberto: "No, but he decided everything. Not me, not the club. You have not to ask me this question because I didn’t decide and I was not responsible to this situation."

Oliver Glasner's said it's easier to prepare to face you regardless of who starts, because you've got a very clear set style of play and the patterns are in his words 'obvious', but surely if you've got all these players that who produce that bit of magic, it's not that easy to prepare?

Roberto: "I don't know - no comment on the others coach's interview."

On Mateus Fernandes, how high his ceiling is, how good can he be? Also, where's his fitness at right now?

Roberto: "I think Mateus Fernandes, in the last game, played a good game. He can play better. I think he can play in different positions. For example, in this moment, I think Rodrigo Bentancur is very important for this team, because he's the right player to give balance, to keep the order on the pitch. He has experience, so we try to play with Mateus as the number 10. Mateus started his career as a number 10, and then last season he played as one of two midfielders, but he's (born in) 2004, very young. I think also for him it's very important, this moment, because he's understanding the new club, understanding the new coach, the new environment, so we have to give time, because like Bergvall, like Archie Gray, like Savio, because Savio is 2004, he's the future of this club."

You say you didn’t make the decision with Richarlison, but it was your decision to leave him out of the Premier League squad?

Roberto: "No, it was not my decision. It is the normal decision. If you don’t want to stay here, I don’t want to keep in the press conference. Go out, you have the freedom to go out. If you don’t want to stay, why we have to keep you on the list? Why you have to stay? I’m not Vinai, I’m not the sporting director, I am the coach and I would like to work with the people angry if they don’t play, but happy to stay in this club. I am just working for my club. The players, if they don’t want to stay, it is not my problem. The price in the transfer market is not my problem. You have to speak with the club, but it is not right when the player wants to leave and the club don’t want to sell.

Was Lucas Bergvall in a similar situation where he wanted to leave?

Roberto: "Yes, but after 10 days in the pre-season, Lucas came and his agent as well went to Johan Lange to say, ‘Lucas is happy to stay,’ and Lucas showed me he wanted to stay. I would like to play with him, I would like to put the focus on him because he is another big, big in terms of the potential of the player. He is another big player."

After the Newcastle game, you said Sandro Tonali wasn't at the right physical level, he wasn't in the best condition. Can I ask you why that is? He wasn't at the World Cup and it feels like he was one of the few that might be ready...

Roberto: "Yes, and he started very well the game, for example, with Chelsea or Hoffenheim. I think it can happen also the time, maybe he needs more time to understand a new club. I remember in the first season in AC Milan, the second season they won the Scudetto, Serie A, but the first season he suffered. Then, in the second season, hopefully we want him to play at a good level, already in the first season, but maybe for a new player, it's different now, the dressing room."