De Zerbi Under Scrutiny as Fresh Footage Revives Handshake Controversy
Roberto De Zerbi could once again find himself under scrutiny after new footage sparked renewed discussion about his conduct on the touchline and an earlier controversial handshake incident.
The Italian manager has developed a reputation for his fiery personality, and the latest controversy has brought back memories of his heated confrontation with former Tottenham interim manager Cristian Stellini.
The latest situation comes after Tottenham played out a goalless draw with Nottingham Forest at the City Ground, a match that was already dominated by controversy surrounding VAR.
Forest appeared to have taken the lead when Neco Williams forced the ball across the line, but the goal was subsequently ruled out following a handball review. Forest manager Oliver Glasner strongly criticised the decision, arguing that there was not enough clear evidence to overturn the original decision.
While attention remained focused on the VAR controversy, De Zerbi’s previous incidents involving opposing managers also resurfaced. In 2023, during his time as Brighton manager, De Zerbi became involved in a heated confrontation with Stellini ahead of a match against Tottenham. The situation escalated and both managers were eventually sent off.
De Zerbi later explained that he felt he had been treated disrespectfully, describing the incident as a personal disagreement rather than something connected to a wider issue.
Because of that history, the latest footage has attracted considerable attention. Some supporters are now questioning whether the authorities could investigate De Zerbi if his behaviour is deemed to have crossed disciplinary boundaries.
However, there is currently no official confirmation that De Zerbi has been charged or that he will receive a touchline ban. Any potential punishment would depend on the match officials’ reports and whether the relevant authorities believe that a disciplinary offence occurred.
The controversy comes at an unfortunate time for De Zerbi and Tottenham. Spurs have now failed to score in their opening three league matches, while Saturday’s draw gave them their first point of the season without solving their attacking problems.
Following the game, De Zerbi acknowledged that his team must become more effective in the final third. He pointed to several situations where improved passing, decision-making and composure around the penalty area could have produced a different result.
Tottenham’s lack of attacking threat is particularly concerning considering the significant investment made in rebuilding the squad during the summer. Their struggles were highlighted by the fact that they failed to register a single shot on target throughout the match.
Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest remain unhappy with the VAR decision. Glasner maintained that the evidence was not strong enough to justify overturning the referee’s original call. Williams also rejected the suggestion that he deliberately handled the ball, saying he believed he had played it with his head.
The controversy surrounding the decision is therefore likely to continue, while De Zerbi now has two major priorities: avoiding further disciplinary problems and finding a solution to Tottenham’s attacking struggles.
For the moment, talk of a potential touchline ban remains only speculation, but it is certainly another issue the Tottenham manager could do without.
