Tottenham Hotspur’s poor record at Chelsea has been turned into a source of motivation by manager Roberto De Zerbi ahead of Saturday’s London derby.

Fear has been dismissed. Instead, the challenge of winning at Stamford Bridge has been presented as a chance to change the club’s recent history.

Spurs have won only once at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League era. They have also lost 10 of their last 12 meetings with Chelsea.

Yet confidence has been lifted by Monday’s 3-1 win over Coventry, which delivered Tottenham’s first Premier League victory of the season.

A Record to Be Challenged

When asked whether his players were intimidated by the record, De Zerbi said it should inspire them rather than trouble them.

“No,” he said during Friday’s press conference. “It has to be one motivation more. Not one more problem for us.”

The past, he argued, should not dictate the next result. De Zerbi pointed out that he had not been in charge during Tottenham’s previous defeats.

“What is the problem? We didn’t play in the past for Tottenham and I was not the Tottenham coach in the last seasons,” he said.

He added that the team had enough quality to compete and that negative records could provide extra energy.

“I think it’s not just this negative record. There are many, many negative records, but for me it’s one motivation more,” he said.

Injury Concerns Remain

Tottenham’s preparations have, however, been complicated by injuries. Destiny Udogie is expected to be absent, while James Maddison remains a doubt.

Maddison scored against Coventry on his first start in 17 months. But he has since missed three days of training, leaving his availability uncertain.

“In the first three days Maddison didn’t work with us, I don’t know if he’s ready for tomorrow,” De Zerbi said.

No risk is to be taken with players’ fitness, the manager stressed. The decision will depend on Maddison’s condition ahead of kick-off.

De Zerbi Warns Against Rushing Players

The Tottenham boss also pointed to the growing injury concerns seen across European football. He said players would not be rushed back if doing so risked longer spells on the sidelines.

“Like I said many times, I don’t want to take risks,” he said. “If I can, I don’t want to risk losing many players for many games.”

The approach could leave Tottenham with selection decisions to make before the trip across London.

A Chance to Change the Narrative

Tottenham’s recent win has offered a lift, but the visit to Chelsea presents a different test. The club will be seeking its first victory at Stamford Bridge since 2018.

For De Zerbi, the historical record is not a warning. It is a challenge. Whether that mindset can translate into a result will be decided on the pitch.