---
title: "De Zerbi Hails Spurs Backbone After Villa Win"
description: "Tottenham climbed out of the bottom three, but Roberto De Zerbi put the weight on courage, belief and nerve."
url: https://sportopod.com/en-US/cluster/tottenham-courage-more-important-than-points-says-roberto-mor94kkd
published: 2026-05-16T07:28:28.112913+00:00
updated: 2026-05-16T14:03:16.481087+00:00
author: "Kostadin Stamboliev"
publisher: "Pineido"
site: "Sportopod"
language: en
topics: ["soccer"]
---

# De Zerbi Hails Spurs Backbone After Villa Win

> Tottenham climbed out of the bottom three, but Roberto De Zerbi put the weight on courage, belief and nerve.

Roberto De Zerbi praised Tottenham's 'courage, belief and nerve' over the raw points haul after Spurs climbed out of the Premier League bottom three with a gritty win at Aston Villa.

With three games left, the Italian manager insisted the performance—not just the result—proved his side has the backbone to survive.

Conor Gallagher echoed the sentiment, crediting De Zerbi's man-management for the squad's renewed fight.

## Why this matters

This isn't just a relegation six-pointer; it's a statement that De Zerbi's Tottenham have found an identity under pressure. If they stay up, this Villa win will be the turning point. If they don't, it'll be the one that got away.

## Frequently asked

### What did Tottenham’s win at Aston Villa change?

The win lifted Tottenham out of the Premier League bottom three with three matches left. That made the result crucial in survival terms, but Roberto De Zerbi stressed that the courage and performance behind it mattered just as much as the points.

### Why did Roberto De Zerbi focus on courage?

De Zerbi framed the victory as proof that Tottenham still have nerve, belief and fight under pressure. His message moved the story beyond simple relegation math and toward whether Spurs have the character needed for the final stretch.

### How does Conor Gallagher fit into the story?

Conor Gallagher’s praise for De Zerbi added a dressing-room layer to the win. In a tense relegation battle, that support suggests the manager’s message is carrying weight inside the squad as Tottenham chase Premier League survival.

## Sources & Citations

- [Tottenham ‘courage’ more important than points, says Roberto De Zerbi](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/may/03/tottenham-display-more-important-than-points-says-roberto-de-zerbi) — The Guardian Sport (2026-05-03)

---

Cite: De Zerbi Hails Spurs Backbone After Villa Win. Sportopod, 2026-05-16. https://sportopod.com/en-US/cluster/tottenham-courage-more-important-than-points-says-roberto-mor94kkd