Roberto De Zerbi backs Tottenham’s cautious medical strategy despite frustration over Sávio and Udogie’s 60-minute limits.
Tottenham Hotspur head coach Roberto De Zerbi has opened up about the internal directives governing player selection following Saturday’s goalless draw at Nottingham Forest. Reporting by Football London correspondent Alasdair Gold reveals that while the Italian manager harbored touchline frustration over enforced 60-minute substitutions for Sávio and Destiny Udogie, he fully supports the club’s wider medical strategy to end years of squad injury crises.
Both Sávio and Udogie performed admirably at the City Ground before being replaced around the hour mark. De Zerbi admitted after the match that while match dynamics made him want to keep both starters on the pitch, he was under strict instructions from Tottenham’s medical department not to exceed pre-planned physical thresholds.
Addressing the touchline situation directly, De Zerbi detailed the trade-offs involved in managing returning starters:
“I’m sorry because Savio and Destiny in that moment, I think they could play something more than 60 minutes. But there was a plan with the medical staff to not take risks. In this moment, I can’t decide like the pitch says. Before the game, the plan was Savio and Udogie around 60 minutes, because it’s dangerous, no?”
When asked if he was content with yielding tactical decisions to physical protocols, De Zerbi offered a transparent explanation:
“No, I’m not happy, but football is like this. Savio has not the best physical condition to play 90 minutes. He’s an important player for us, a crucial player. Destiny is another crucial player for us. I think Kudus and Robertson, they played well. But, you know, to start one game like today, it’s not so easy to come in from the bench and adapt immediately. I’m not happy when we have the plan, but it’s for my advantage, for my business, the management of the players after injuries.”
Inside Dan Lewindon’s Medical and Performance Overhaul
The conservative approach to match management comes in response to an astronomical injury record that plagued Tottenham across recent campaigns. Midfielder James Maddison previously highlighted the severity of the issue at the conclusion of last season:
“Our situation with the injuries has been worse than any other club. People try and say ‘Oh, but we’ve got this and that’, but ours is astronomical and we need to look at why that is.”
To rectify these recurring issues, Performance Director Dan Lewindon has led a comprehensive internal review since arriving from City Football Group in February, just one day prior to Thomas Frank’s departure. Lewindon inherited a department that had suffered significant turnover following the departure of longtime head of medicine Geoff Scott in 2024, along with the subsequent exits of Adam Brett and Nick Davies. Nick Stubbings was brought in during the summer of 2025 as men’s team medical lead after 11 years at Brentford to help stabilize operations.
Under Lewindon’s direction, Tottenham have overhauled the first-team gym facilities at Hotspur Way and commissioned independent testing on the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium pitch. Crucially, Lewindon has introduced a localized “pod-based” medical model. Instead of relying on broad oversight across the entire squad, small clusters of four to six players are assigned a dedicated physiotherapist and sports scientist. This focused setup enables medical staff to closely monitor individual biomechanics, position-specific demands, and recovery metrics to prevent soft-tissue re-injuries.
Despite the tactical compromises required on matchdays, De Zerbi has established a strong working relationship with Lewindon. The two regularly consult on squad fitness and structural standards, with De Zerbi consistently prioritizing long-term health over immediate short-term risks.
This cautious strategy is currently being applied across the squad. Mohammed Kudus continues to have his workload carefully calibrated following an April setback during De Zerbi’s initial week at the club, while Dejan Kulusevski is being given ample time to rehabilitate fully after spending 17 months out of competitive action. While strict minute management may continue to cause occasional frustration on the bench, Tottenham remain committed to establishing a sustainable physical foundation for the future.
