De Zerbi eyes team-building at Marbella training camp

Roberto De Zerbi has outlined the purpose of Tottenham's training camp in Marbella this week, saying the squad must develop into a cohesive unit after salvaging a 1-1 draw at Manchester United on Saturday.

Bryan Mbeumo's opener on 73 minutes and Rodrigo Bentancur's red card five minutes later threatened to undermine a strong first-half performance. Instead, the 10 men held firm and equalised through Dominic Solanke, who headed in from close range in the 92nd minute in his first goal of the season as first-time captain.

"We have to build the team," De Zerbi said. "Now the target is to build the team, not the group of the players. We are a great group of players, but we are not a team yet."

De Zerbi pointed to the United draw as evidence of progress, singling out the contribution of late substitutes. "The players who come inside five minutes, three minutes, like Mateus Fernandes, they have to play like they are in the first 11, without problems, without other faults," he added.

The camp gives Tottenham nine days to prepare before their next fixture, a Monday night trip to Coventry City on October 20 (kick-off 8pm UK). De Zerbi said the group must "find the balance between the confidence in ourselves and to be hungry in the training and in the games."