Roberto De Zerbi has taken his Tottenham Hotspur players for an extravagant team-bonding meal as part of his latest attempt to halt his side’s slide towards the Championship.
Tottenham fans will be hoping this is the only aspect of Igor Tudor’s approach that De Zerbi follows, as the Croatian also organised a similar outing in the early stages of his short tenure in north London, taking his squad to Greek-Cypriot restaurant Ousia in Muswell Hill for a first-team meal.
According to The Telegraph, De Zerbi is said to have arranged the meal himself at Mayfair’s Bacchanalia in the wake of Tottenham’s 1-0 defeat by Sunderland at the weekend.
After the match – his first in charge – the Italian revealed that his primary task over the final six games of the season would be to lift his players’ spirits, saying: ‘My job now is not to coach a style, with or without the ball, but try to give the players what they need in terms of mentality’.
The restaurant claims that it is designed ‘for those who long for escapism’, something Tottenham are certainly craving after failing to win a single Premier League game since the turn of the year, with the weekend’s results seeing them drop into the relegation zone for the first time in 17 years.
‘This is not merely a restaurant, it is a breath-taking feast for the senses, a gathering place to feel moved, immersed in another world,’ the restaurant declares. ‘It is imagination on a grand and glorious scale. Here, people let go, to indulge in life’s richness.’
The prices reflect a Premier League clientele, with pasta dishes ranging from £34 to £135, while a leg of lamb is priced at £130. The sea bass, meanwhile, will set you back £110 before sides or drinks are added.
The celebrity haunt occupies a corner site on Mount Street that once housed a Porsche showroom. It features large Damien Hirst sculptures and has welcomed the likes of Nicole Scherzinger, Megan Fox and the Beckhams in recent years.
Former interim head coach Tudor had also taken the squad out for a meal ahead of the disastrous north London derby on 22 February, which Arsenal won 4-1.
He left the role just 44 days after his appointment, following a damaging defeat by Nottingham Forest that deepened Tottenham’s relegation concerns.
Tudor, however, struggled to win over the players with his abrasive style, whereas De Zerbi is said to have made a far more positive first impression, according to The Telegraph.
If the outlook already appeared bleak following De Zerbi’s arrival, it has worsened further after the defeat to Sunderland, with captain Cristian Romero ruled out for the remainder of the season with a knee injury.
One positive though was the return of Rodrigo Bentancur to training this week. The 28-year-old has been out since January with a serious hamstring injury.
Tottenham face Brighton this weekend, before trips to Aston Villa and Chelsea prior to the season’s conclusion.
If results do not improve, they may retain the same manager next season – as De Zerbi’s contract does not include a relegation break clause – but their choice of restaurant venues may need to become more modest.
