De Zerbi's 'ultra' roots and the Brescia connection at Spurs

Tottenham Hotspur's revival may be fueled by a footballing passion forged in the Italian city of Brescia, a city with a "distinctly Brescian feel" at the club's N17 stadium. Manager Roberto De Zerbi, credited with saving Spurs from relegation last season, was deeply influenced by his father, Alfredo, a former president of the supporters' clubs and a leader of Brescia's "tifoseria." De Zerbi himself stated he was "born an ultra," reflecting the intense football culture he grew up in.

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My dad is crazy about football. He was one of the leaders of the Brescia tifoseria. At home, we lived and breathed football. He was the one who passed that passion on to me.

This connection extends to Tottenham's playing squad, notably through their new record signing, Sandro Tonali. Tonali joined Brescia Calcio, known as "Le Rondinelle," at age 12 and made his debut at 17, helping the club return to Serie A before his move to AC Milan. De Zerbi followed Tonali's progress at his boyhood club, and the midfielder shared his bond with the manager, discussing their shared connection to Brescia and the club's "difficult situation."

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Brescia is so small. I had two weeks there and met him two or three times. We spoke about Brescia, about the difficult situation facing our club.

However, Tonali's significant transfer fee became a point of contention in Italy. Brescia Calcio, owned by Massimo Cellino, faced mounting debt and was excluded from professional football last summer. A new entity, Union Brescia, now represents the city, playing at the historic Stadio Mario Rigamonti. Despite the club's financial woes and exclusion, Brescia Calcio was due a portion of Tonali's transfer fee under FIFA's solidarity contribution scheme. Reports suggested Cellino might use this money to revive the club, but this prospect appears unlikely following Brescia Calcio's recent winding up in court.

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Roberto's love for Brescia shaped his career.

As Brescia embraces a new era, the footballing ethos instilled in De Zerbi through his father and his experiences at Stadio Mario Rigamonti remain influential. His brother, Rocco, noted that Roberto's "love for Brescia shaped his career." Rosanna Pedrollo, who worked for Brescia for half a century, recalled Alfredo De Zerbi's passionate involvement in coordinating supporters' clubs, highlighting his dedication to organizing away trips and engaging with players and fans.

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He organised the away trips, knew which players were going to visit which supporters' clubs and when. He took care of everything.