Sandro Tonali says he is “100% recovered” and believes Tottenham Hotspur have the quality to recover from their difficult opening to the season.
Speaking to Transfermarkt, the midfielder said the pain he had been experiencing had disappeared and that he was ready to contribute, regardless of the position in which he is selected.
“Now I’m 100% recovered. The pain I had before is gone. I’m ready to do my part. It doesn’t matter whether I play as a central midfielder or an attacking midfielder, especially since roles change depending on the match. Sometimes one position is more suitable, sometimes another. The most important thing is to play well,” said Tonali.
He also dismissed the attention surrounding his transfer fee, saying he avoids much of the coverage about him.
“It doesn’t bother me. I haven’t looked at social media or newspapers for many years, which helps me feel particularly relaxed,” he said.
Tottenham Hotspur were bottom of the Premier League after five matches and exited the League Cup in the third round after losing away to Liverpool.
Their performances have improved, but they have been punished for failing to turn chances into goals and are still searching for their first league win of the season.
Tonali said results could change rapidly despite the club’s current position.
“Football is unpredictable. Within 10 days, everything can change from negative to positive. Given the club’s current situation, the results are negative, but from a football perspective, it’s positive. We’re playing well and creating chances. If you don’t score in football, you lose,” he said.
The midfielder added that the squad remained confident and insisted Tottenham Hotspur were capable of improving.
“We are not discouraged. We are in good shape and very positive. We know this team is strong. With the national team, the situation is different. We are very new, very young, and have almost never played together. We can only be patient.”
Tonali said adapting to a new squad had been challenging, drawing on his own experience of playing at Tottenham with several new arrivals.
“It’s difficult to play football now, and I’ve experienced it firsthand at Tottenham with so many new players in the squad. As a national team, we went through a difficult period after failing to qualify for the World Cup, and we’re not performing at our best, but we must stay positive,” he said.
He also called on senior players to shield less experienced teammates from pressure, particularly those who are still adapting to the demands of international football.
“The most important thing is to help the less experienced players reduce the pressure, because wearing this shirt is not easy. The more experienced players should take on more responsibility. You can blame me if needed, because young players need to gain experience and be given freedom. They are more affected by negative situations because they see and hear more, whereas we don’t worry as much. I know this firsthand. At 19, you’re not used to this kind of pressure. As for us, we will do our best to help them develop.”
