Tottenham Hotspur manager Roberto De Zerbi expressed his excitement after watching a completely transformed Spurs side dominate Chelsea in a dramatic 2-0 derby victory at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, October 24, 2026.

The Italian tactician praised his team’s tactical discipline and relentlessness, hailing a performance that looked worlds apart from the inconsistent Tottenham side of recent seasons.

Speaking after the encounter, the Italian highlighted how his squad executed the game plan to perfection, controlling the tempo from the opening whistle through a dominant midfield trio of Sandro Tonali, Enzo Fernández, and James Maddison.

The manager noted that seeing his players command such a high-stakes London derby—and capitalise when Cole Palmer was sent off late in the second half—demonstrated a new level of maturity and belief within the group.

Deserved win

The victory was particularly crucial given that Spurs had won only once in seven league games prior to the derby. Expressing his satisfaction after the match, De Zerbi emphasised the squad’s growth:

“It was a big moment for the fans, the club, and the players. They deserved this win because they prepared very well. We are improving a lot—in our mentality, within the group, and in our relationships. Now it is a complete team. The players are playing better, and we have improved in our style.”

The triumph follows a recent team-bonding dinner organised by the head coach to build cohesion and unity within the squad—a strategic move that appears to have borne fruit on the pitch.

Commenting on the shift in culture, De Zerbi added:

“When we stay for dinner and spend time together in the dressing room, I see a different group, a different relationship, and a different atmosphere. If we work hard, we can do something important. The atmosphere inside the dressing room is maybe more important than the tactics.”

The historic victory, secured by a late Mike Penders own goal and a sensational Mathys Tel strike, marked just Spurs’ second Premier League win at Stamford Bridge in their last 36 visits.

For De Zerbi, the result represents much more than three points, signaling a major turning point in building a fearless, dominant culture capable of competing with the league’s top sides on their own turf.

Despite climbing to 12th in the table following back-to-back wins, the coach stressed the importance of not dwelling on current success and maintaining a hunger for further improvement: “I cannt understand why we have to ask this question. We won two games in a row and got seven points, but we have not won anything yet. We want to improve, improve, and improve—getting better week by week. We have suffered enough.”