Tottenham's head coach Roberto De Zerbi has officially confirmed that Brazilian forward Richarlison will not be in the squad for the League Cup match against Liverpool, scheduled for Tuesday at Anfield.
Earlier this month, the forward was omitted from Spurs' 25-man Premier League roster, with both the coaching staff and club hierarchy notifying him directly that he does not feature in their first-team plans. Richarlison retained the right to play in cup competitions following a failed transfer during the summer window, yet the Italian manager has decided not to involve him in any matches.
Last Friday, the Brazilian turned down a move back to his homeland with Vasco da Gama. Nonetheless, De Zerbi has remained steadfast:
The situation surrounding Richarlison is well known, and nothing is changing for the League Cup or the Premier League. The state of affairs remains exactly the same.
I maintain a neutral position and cannot say more, as this doesn't fall under my duties. I am here to answer for the results, for the players in the main squad, for building our attacking or defensive phases, but not for off-pitch issues like this.
This decision from the coaching staff is particularly striking given the club's current struggles; Tottenham have yet to score a goal in this Premier League season. Richarlison has historically performed well against Liverpool, having found the net four times in seven encounters for Spurs against the Merseysiders.
