De Zerbi hails Tottenham youngster 'precious diamond'
Roberto De Zerbi praised Luca Williams-Barnett after his penalty shootout success against Sydney FC.
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Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi has praised academy graduate Luca Williams-Barnett, calling him a "precious diamond" and a "potential special player". The comments follow the 17-year-old's performance in a friendly match against Sydney FC on Wednesday.
Spurs defeated the Australian side 4-2 on penalties after the match at Allianz Stadium finished 1-1. Williams-Barnett, who came on as a substitute, demonstrated composure by scoring a Panenka penalty during the shootout. This was Tottenham's third consecutive victory in their pre-season campaign.
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Youngster's growing influence
The versatile player has been given increased first-team opportunities. He also played in a deeper midfield role in a recent behind-closed-doors match against MK Dons and started in the friendly win against Auckland FC. Williams-Barnett joined Tottenham's academy at Under-10s level and made his senior competitive debut last September at the age of 16.
De Zerbi stated that the club must manage Williams-Barnett carefully. "We have to manage him like a precious diamond," the head coach said. He also highlighted areas for improvement, including decision-making in the final third and physical conditioning. "Physically, work harder to become stronger because this time of football, he needs to be strong," De Zerbi added.
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“I usually give time to all the young players I work with in my career, and he is a potential special player.”
Roberto De Zerbi, Tottenham Head Coach
Defender Ben Davies also commented on Williams-Barnett's performances. Davies praised the player's fearlessness and confidence on the ball. "He's a really top player," Davies said. "I think you can see the qualities that he's got."
Davies added that the next step for the youngster is developing his in-game habits. "But to have a player like that who's got no fear, that has the confidence to try things in games, who doesn't get affected if he loses the ball, I think he's got a bright future ahead of him," the experienced defender stated.
Questions this report answers
+How did Luca Williams-Barnett perform in the penalty shootout?
Luca Williams-Barnett scored a Panenka penalty during the shootout as Tottenham beat Sydney FC 4-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw. This demonstrated his composure under pressure, earning praise from manager Roberto De Zerbi.
+What did Roberto De Zerbi say about managing Williams-Barnett?
De Zerbi stated that the club must manage Williams-Barnett carefully, calling him a 'precious diamond' and highlighting the need for him to work harder physically. He also mentioned areas for improvement, such as decision-making and conditioning.
+What are Williams-Barnett's next steps according to Ben Davies?
Ben Davies praised Williams-Barnett's fearlessness and confidence but noted that his next step is developing in-game habits. Davies emphasised the youngster's bright future due to his boldness on the ball.
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