When Tottenham Hotspur had a nine-day break between their matches against Manchester United and Coventry City, Roberto De Zerbi decided to take the squad to Marbella, Spain, for warm weather training and team bonding.

The Spurs boss insisted then that the trip to Marbella would help make his side a tighter and more cohesive unit, on and off the pitch. Our supporters were hoping the Marbella trip would have a galvanising effect on the squad, and their prayers have been answered.

Tottenham broke their six-game winless run in the Premier League by beating Coventry City 3-1 at home. They followed it up with a statement performance against Chelsea last weekend. Roberto De Zerbi’s beat 10-man Pensioners 2-0 and ended their Stamford Bridge hoodoo.

Mateus Fernandes admits Marbella trip was turning point for Tottenham

Some pundits were critical of De Zerbi for the timing of the Marbella trip, given that it came so soon after the three-week international break. Well, it was certainly not the first time the Italian tactician made such arrangements in his managerial career. During his time at Marseille, a couple of mid-season squad trips were arranged, and they helped in pushing the squad to greater heights.

Now, star of the show against Chelsea, Mateus Fernandes has insisted that the trip to Southern Spain was crucial for bringing the squad together, admitting that it was a “turning point” for the group.

“Marbella was very important for us as a team. I think it builds a very good relationship with everyone, with the staff, with the team, with the teammates. Now we’re playing as a team. I think this is the change point for everybody. Now we keep going, and we believe more than ever in our squad,” Mateus Fernandes told the club’s official website.

Indeed, one of the beneficiaries of the Marbella trip has been Fernandes. The 22-year-old was outstanding alongside Sandro Tonali in the middle of the park against Chelsea, being central to everything that Tottenham did in and out of possession. He produced his best performance in our famous White shirt and highlighted why the North Londoners shelled out such a big fee for his services in the summer.

Truly, the Portuguese talent’s display at Stamford Bridge should kickstart his N17 career. It has become a base for Fernandes to build on and bring more consistency to his game as the season progresses.