Tottenham forward Richarlison has publicly expressed his displeasure with manager Roberto De Zerbi's decision to exclude him from the squad for the Carabao Cup match against Liverpool. Richarlison, who has been left out of the Premier League squad, was made unavailable for the cup fixture despite being eligible.
De Zerbi stated that his project and ideas remain unchanged, emphasizing his belief in the players and the decisions made. He acknowledged the team's struggles in scoring goals but expressed confidence in their existing qualities. "We are building a new project, a new team," De Zerbi said. "I can't change my opinion about the players if they don't win or don't score. They are very good players."
Richarlison responded to De Zerbi's remarks on social media, sharing a screenshot of the manager's comments with a caption expressing confusion and disappointment. This comes after a period where Richarlison's future at Tottenham has been uncertain, with potential moves to Everton, Trabzonspor, and Vasco da Gama failing to materialize.
Tottenham has yet to score in their first four Premier League games this season, a statistic highlighted by Richarlison's continued absence from the squad. The Brazilian was a key scorer last season, netting 12 goals.
De Zerbi, who also mentioned midfielder Sandro Tonali would miss the Liverpool match due to a knock, noted that the team had previously lost to Brentford 3-0 with Richarlison in the lineup. He is analyzing the team's performance, particularly their inability to convert dominance into goals during the goalless draw with Everton, where they played well for 25-30 minutes but lost confidence due to the lack of scoring. "We have to improve," De Zerbi added.