De Zerbi Blames Preseason Tour Of Australia For Spurs’ Physical Unreadiness

Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi blamed the club’s pre-season tour of Australia for their physical unreadiness and a 3-0 opening-day defeat to Brentford.

De Zerbi stated that Tottenham are behind schedule in their fitness and not yet a fully functioning team.

He explained that Femi Azeez Makes PFA Championship Team Of The Yearlong-haul travel to Australia limited proper training intensity and forced the squad to avoid physical risks.

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While outlining the hurdles, De Zerbi emphasized that these factors are part of building a new project rather than outright excuses for the result against Brentford.

‘We are not at the right point in physical condition for a lot of reasons,’ he told the club’s website.

‘The players, they came late after World Cup, because in Australia we couldn’t work in the right way for the trip. To [not] take risk.

‘But [that does] not excuse our normal situation.

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‘When you are building a new project, a new process. I don’t want time, but we have to pass through these problems.”

Tottenham visited Australia during July and August as part of the 2026 Sydney Super Cup.

They faced Sydney FC on July 29, winning through a penalty shootout, before playing London rivals Chelsea at Accor Stadium on August 1.