adminTottenham Hotspur boss Roberto De Zerbi could once again find himself under the spotlight after fresh footage reignited discussion over his touchline conduct and a controversial handshake incident.
The Italian manager has already developed a reputation for his fiery personality, and memories of his previous confrontation with former Tottenham interim boss Cristian Stellini have resurfaced following the latest controversy surrounding Spurs.
De Zerbi’s Tottenham side were held to a frustrating 0-0 draw by Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on Saturday, with the match dominated by another major VAR debate.
Forest appeared to take the lead when Neco Williams bundled the ball over the line, but the goal was eventually ruled out following a VAR review for a suspected handball. Forest manager Oliver Glasner strongly criticised the intervention, arguing that the evidence was not clear enough to overturn the on-field decision.
However, attention has also turned towards De Zerbi because of the Italian’s history of confrontations around pre-match handshakes.
Back in 2023, while managing Brighton, De Zerbi was involved in a heated exchange with Stellini before Brighton’s meeting with Tottenham. The situation escalated during the match, with both managers eventually shown red cards. De Zerbi later said he believed he had been disrespected but insisted that the disagreement was personal.
That history has made the latest footage particularly interesting for supporters, with some questioning whether the authorities could take a closer look at De Zerbi’s conduct if the incident is deemed to have breached Premier League or FA regulations.
At present, however, there is no confirmed announcement that De Zerbi has been charged or handed a touchline ban over the latest incident. Any punishment would depend on what the match officials reported and whether the relevant authorities believe disciplinary rules were breached.
De Zerbi already under pressure
The potential controversy comes at a difficult time for the Tottenham manager.
Spurs have now failed to score in each of their opening three Premier League matches of the campaign. Saturday’s draw at Forest gave them their first point, but they still have no league victory and remain without a goal.
De Zerbi admitted after the match that his players need to improve their decision-making in the final third.
The former Brighton boss pointed to several situations where Tottenham could have created better chances if they had made the correct final pass or remained calmer around the penalty area.
The lack of attacking threat has become one of the biggest concerns surrounding the new-look Tottenham team, particularly after the club invested heavily during the summer transfer window.
Despite the expensive rebuild, Spurs failed to register a shot on target against Forest, highlighting the scale of the problems De Zerbi must solve.
Forest still furious over VAR decision
While Tottenham will take encouragement from finally keeping a clean sheet, Forest will feel they were denied a potentially decisive victory.
Glasner claimed the VAR decision was based on insufficient evidence and argued that the intervention weakened the authority of the referee.
Williams also disputed the handball decision, maintaining that he headed the ball rather than deliberately using his arm.
The controversy means the City Ground encounter could continue to generate debate well beyond the final whistle.
For De Zerbi, meanwhile, the priority will be avoiding further disciplinary problems while finding a way to get Tottenham scoring.
If the latest footage does lead to an official investigation, the Spurs boss could face another anxious wait over his availability on the touchline. For now, though, any talk of a ban remains speculation rather than a confirmed disciplinary sanction.
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