Roberto De Zerbi could find himself back in the headlines for the wrong reasons after new footage stirred up fresh debate around his touchline behaviour and a controversial handshake episode.
The Italian has long carried a reputation for his combustible temperament, and the latest fuss has dragged up memories of his old bust-up with former Tottenham interim boss Cristian Stellini. This time the backdrop was Spurs’ goalless stalemate with Nottingham Forest at the City Ground, a game already overshadowed by a major VAR storm. Forest thought they’d scored when Neco Williams forced the ball over the line, only for the goal to be chalked off after a handball review — a call Forest boss Oliver Glasner blasted as unjustified given the lack of clear evidence.
Amid all that, eyes have also drifted back to De Zerbi’s past handshake flashpoints. Back in 2023, while at Brighton, he clashed angrily with Stellini before facing Tottenham, and things boiled over so badly that both managers were sent off. De Zerbi later claimed he’d felt disrespected, though he framed it as a personal matter rather than anything deeper. That history is why the new clip has got fans talking, with some wondering if the powers that be might take a closer look if his conduct is judged to have crossed a line. As things stand, though, there’s no confirmation of any charge or touchline ban — whatever happens next hinges on what match officials reported and whether the authorities see a breach of the rules.
The timing couldn’t be worse for De Zerbi. Spurs have now gone three league games without scoring, and Saturday’s draw, while yielding a first point of the season, did nothing to change that. He conceded afterwards that his side need to sharpen up in the final third, pointing to several moments where a better final ball or cooler head near the box could have changed the game. That toothlessness in attack is becoming a real worry given how much the club spent rebuilding the squad over the summer — a point underlined by the fact Spurs didn’t manage a single shot on target all afternoon.
Forest, for their part, are still smarting. Glasner insisted the VAR call was too flimsy to justify overturning the referee, and Williams himself denied any deliberate handball, insisting he’d played the ball with his head. Expect the row to keep rumbling long after the final whistle. As for De Zerbi, his focus now will be twofold: staying out of trouble with officials and finding a way to get his expensively assembled team firing again. Any suggestion of a ban remains speculation for now — but it’s another headache he could do with
out.
