De Zerbi: We are a completely different team now and can achieve something special

Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi expressed his delight following a 2-0 victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. The Italian tactician praised the character shown by his players and highlighted a significant shift in the dressing room atmosphere.

"This was a huge moment for the fans, the club, and the players. They deserved this win because they prepared so well. We are making serious progress. We're improving our mentality, the atmosphere within the team, and the relationships between the players. At the same time, we are getting better on the pitch," De Zerbi said.

"Against Aston Villa and during the first 30 minutes against Everton, we played very well. Perhaps we struggled to score because our finishing lacked quality. At the first sign of trouble, however, our mindset used to falter. Now, we are a complete team. The players are performing better, and our style has improved," the Italian continued.

"When we have dinner together or spend time in the dressing room, I see a completely different group, different relationships, and a different energy among the players. Today, we showed tremendous character. We have many new signings, while those who have been here since last season or the past two or three years took recent results and the two 17th-place finishes hard. We are working to change that chapter of the club's history," De Zerbi explained.

"We are fortunate to have fantastic people and top-quality footballers in the dressing room. If we work hard, we can achieve something special. I never lost faith in my players. The week in Marbella was crucial for talking face-to-face, opening up, and dropping our guards. That is essential for team spirit and confidence. The dressing room atmosphere is perhaps even more important than tactics," he added.

"Anyone who loves football loves James Maddison. He is a special footballer. I told him in the dressing room to let me know if there was an issue because we need him. Conor Gallagher performed well when he came on. We have plenty of excellent players. It all comes down to Maddison's fitness. He is an incredible player," the Tottenham boss concluded.