'Son Heung-min leaves, and everything crumbles' — Tottenham finally stages a 'comeback'! A new chapter in history for the first time in 40 years... Complete 'scoreless' demolition of their 'nemesis'

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Tottenham Hotspur, which had fallen to 17th place for two consecutive seasons after Son Heung-min (34 · LAFC) departed and was pushed to the brink of the relegation zone, has finally fired the signal of its revival. The team is on a two-game winning streak in the league after defeating their nemesis, Chelsea.

The UK media outlet 'BBC' highlighted this on the 25th (Korean time), stating, "Is Tottenham coming back?" and noting, "Tottenham jumped to 12th place in the Premier League, its highest ranking since January 2, following a decisive 2-0 victory away at Chelsea. From the end of the dark tunnel where they had been stuck at 17th place consecutively, hope has begun to emerge under Manager Roberto De Zerbi's regime."

On the 25th, Tottenham comprehensively defeated Chelsea 2-0 in their away match for the eighth round of the 2026-2027 English Premier League (EPL) held at Stamford Bridge in London, UK.

It was a historic victory. A scoreless win on the road against Chelsea is the first since 1986, marking 40 years. According to 'BBC', despite being away, Tottenham dominated Chelsea one-sidedly with an overwhelming 68% ball possession rate. An own goal by the opposing goalkeeper and a sending-off for Col Palmer due to accumulated yellow cards occurred in the first half, while Mathys Tel's decisive goal in the second half secured a perfect victory.

Behind Tottenham's turnaround, which had been hovering in the lower ranks amid severe scoring droughts and leadership collapse immediately after Son Heung-min's departure, was honest communication. Manager De Zerbi, who took charge last March and barely kept the team from relegation before pouring over 300 million pounds (approximately 535 billion won) into astronomical funds during the summer transfer market, revealed that a recent meeting with the squad ahead of the Manchester United match (1-1 draw) was the decisive turning point.

Manager De Zerbi explained the secret to their rebound, stating, "Right before the match against Manchester United, we shed our pretenses and had an honest and clear conversation face-to-face." He added, "From that moment on, something began to change within us. We re-established not just attitudes, but the relationships between players and within the group, which completely transformed the squad's mentality. We have already suffered enough pain."

'BBC' praised this victory, saying, "It was a dream match for Tottenham. They controlled the game perfectly and handled the ball comfortably." The outlet continued, "Players are returning from injuries and momentum is building. To put it cautiously, it seems Tottenham is finally coming back." Martin Keown, an Arsenal legend, also spoke highly of the team through media outlets, stating, "Madison was outstanding in midfield, while Tel and Mohamed Kudus made a difference on the flanks." He added, "It is remarkable that a team stuck in the relegation zone recorded nearly 70% possession, and Tottenham sent a strong message with very convincing performance."

It is also encouraging that new signings such as Jan Paul van Hecke, Mateus Fernandes, and Sandro Tonali, brought in this summer, are quickly integrating into the team. Manager De Zerbi praised them, saying, "Tonali played his best match since joining, and Van Hecke and Fernandes were also excellent."

Since bidding farewell to Son Heung-min, Tottenham had been steeped in a defeatist mentality for the past two seasons, with players shedding tears in the locker room. Following their draw against Manchester United, the team went on a three-match unbeaten streak by consecutively defeating Coventry and Chelsea.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original