De Zerbi explains how Tottenham beat Chelsea

Roberto De Zerbi has heaped praise on his Tottenham Hotspur squad following a masterful 2-0 Premier League victory over Chelsea on Saturday, October 24.

The Italian tactician expressed immense pride in his team's relentless work ethic and meticulous tactical execution at Stamford Bridge.

Tottenham secured the vital away win through a 77th-minute own goal from Chelsea goalkeeper Mike Penders and a clinical 87th-minute finish by Mathys Tel.

Speaking to the media after the final whistle, De Zerbi emphasised that the result was the direct product of exhaustive preparation.

"I think we deserved to win. The players worked very well, prepared very well the game," De Zerbi stated.

"This morning, yesterday, all days in the last week and the qualities of the players are very clear," he added.

A crucial element of Tottenham's success against Xabi Alonso's Chelsea side was De Zerbi's specific midfield structural adjustments.

The manager highlighted the deployment of playmaker James Maddison as the key to unlocking the opposition's defensive block.

"We knew Chelsea play very well, they have clear organisation, clear structure on the pitch," De Zerbi explained.

"We prepared our players with two midfielders and James Maddison with freedom, where he smells the right position."

Maddison, who famously won the 2020/21 FA Cup during his 2018–2023 tenure with Leicester City, thrived in that liberated role before suffering a groin injury in the 51st minute.

Beyond the tactical board, De Zerbi was equally thrilled with the sheer physical aggression his players displayed in the London derby.

The manager stressed that elite football requires an intense combative edge to supplement technical superiority.

"Football is the quality of the play, the quality of the players, for sure, but it is a competition," De Zerbi noted.

"It is a fight. You have to run, you have to fight, you have to arrive first to the second ball. You have to win the duels and we did."

This monumental victory serves as a momentum shift for Tottenham following a notoriously poor start to the 2026/27 campaign.

Spurs only secured their first Premier League win of the season earlier in the week, defeating Coventry City 3-1 on Monday night.

De Zerbi hopes this landmark result at Stamford Bridge will serve as a permanent catalyst for a new era in North London.

"I'm happy for the spirit of the players. I think we have to change the last part of the history of our club," he concluded. "I would like to follow in this way."