Roberto De Zerbi has left London to try to get Tottenham back on track. As announced before the trip to Manchester United, the Italian manager plans to take his squad to Marbella, in southern Spain, to make the most of a long break in the schedule.
Spurs have nine days before hosting Coventry on October 19th. This is an ideal window to take advantage of more favorable weather and, above all, bring the players closer to a squad that underwent a major overhaul this summer.
Tottenham invested over €250 million to bring in ten new players. Several arrived late in the transfer window, including Savio, Tosin Adarabioyo, Mykhaylo Mudryk, and Omar Marmoush. The team still lacks cohesion, and the results haven’t followed.
After five matches without a win, the London club hoped their trip to Old Trafford would finally kick-start their season. However, the match against Manchester United confirmed the difficulties De Zerbi’s men face. Long and wasteful in front of goal, Spurs missed several opportunities to take the lead, notably through Dominic Solanke.
The Red Devils finally broke the deadlock in the 73rd minute, with a goal from Bryan Mbeumo, set up by Matheus Cunha. Tottenham then seemed destined for another defeat, especially after Rodrigo Bentancur was sent off, leaving his teammates a man down.
But the Londoners found the resources to snatch a point in stoppage time. Solanke equalized, allowing his team to leave Old Trafford with a 1-1 draw. An encouraging result under the circumstances, but not enough to change the reality.
Tottenham are still searching for their first league victory, and the point earned in Manchester doesn’t erase everything. The trip to Marbella should let De Zerbi work on the team’s understanding, confidence, and cohesion, as the group still struggles to translate its ambitions onto the pitch.
A feeling of déjà vu for Marseille fans…
Roberto De Zerbi Takes Tottenham to Marbella to Rebuild After Winless Run
This is far from the first time Roberto De Zerbi has relied on this type of training camp. The Italian coach had already implemented this method at Marseille, where he organized a four-day camp in Mallemort, in the Bouches-du-Rhône region, at the end of November 2024, to prepare for the match against Monaco, followed by another in Denmark in December.
A few months later, in spring 2025, he decided to take his squad away from Marseille to prepare for the final sprint toward the Champions League. The Olympians went to Rome for an extended stay, which they ultimately extended after beating Brest (4-1). Speaking to journalists at the time, De Zerbi defended his choice, saying he had done less on-field coaching and had focused heavily on team unity.
At Sassuolo and Shakhtar Donetsk, the 47-year-old Italian also experienced summer training camps, notably in the Italian Alps with the Neroverdi and in Austria with the Ukrainian club. These gatherings, however, were more of a logical continuation of the preseason than an attempt to create a shock effect during the current campaign.
For Tottenham, Marbella is primarily a second preparation period, as late arrivals and disappointing results have kept the team from gelling quickly enough. However, this type of training camp in Marbella has some limitations that shouldn’t be overlooked. While the forecast temperatures of around 25°C offer pleasant working conditions, Roberto De Zerbi’s staff will need to be particularly careful not to overwork players coming off an international break and an already demanding schedule.
Poorly managed workloads can reduce rest, increase fatigue, and raise injury risk. The London-Marbella flight remains relatively short, and the time difference is negligible, at only one hour. However, the trip still requires adjustments to sleep patterns, meal times, and recovery routines. Studies on the international calendar, often cited by FIFPro, show that travel can affect recovery, although the most concerning data relate to repeated long journeys.
The team will also need to pay particular attention to hydration and managing exertion in higher temperatures than those in London. The goal shouldn’t be to increase training sessions at all costs, but rather to find the right balance between tactical work, team cohesion, and recovery. If well-managed, this Spanish interlude can help the new recruits assimilate the Italian style of play.
However, if poorly managed, Roberto De Zerbi’s initiative could exacerbate the fatigue of a group that primarily needs to regain freshness and develop its automatic reflexes. The principle of the “ritiro,” a retreat deeply rooted in Italian football traditions, involves isolating players from their daily environment to foster communication, concentration, and solidarity, but it has sometimes had the opposite effect, as in Naples in 2019, when it precipitated Carlo Ancelotti’s departure.
It remains to be seen whether this method will truly produce the desired results. The upcoming match against Coventry will show the initial effects of this Andalusian getaway. A victory alone won’t prove that the retreat has made a difference, just as a poor result won’t invalidate its value.
Why Is Roberto De Zerbi Taking Tottenham to Marbella Before Coventry Game?