Igor Tudor has insisted he is "100 per cent" certain Tottenham Hotspur will avoid relegation, despite revealing he has been left with just 13 fit senior outfield players for his first match in charge. The interim head coach, appointed following the dismissal of Thomas Frank, faces a baptism of fire on Sunday as Spurs host league leaders Arsenal in the North London Derby.
Speaking at his debut press conference on Friday at Hotspur Way, the former Juventus and Marseille manager was blunt about the "very particular" injury crisis gripping the club. With ten senior players currently sidelined and captain Cristian Romero serving a four-match suspension, Tudor confirmed that his tactical preparations have been severely hampered by the lack of available personnel.
"Very particular moment, as you know, this very rare situation that you find with ten players injured," Tudor told reporters. "We made training with thirteen players. It is not fantastic, beautiful, but in this case, it’s an even bigger challenge to succeed and come out of this situation."
Tottenham currently sit 16th in the Premier League table, languishing just five points above the relegation zone after a dismal run of two wins in 17 league matches under Frank. Despite the proximity to the bottom three, the 47-year-old Croatian refused to entertain the idea of the club falling into the Championship for the first time since 1977.
"I’m not here to enjoy. I’m here to work," Tudor stated when asked about his first days in the role. He dismissed concerns regarding the club’s league position, adding that "thirteen is quite enough to achieve what we want on Sunday."
The injury list includes key figures such as James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, and Mohammed Kudus. Defensive options are equally thin, with Destiny Udogie and Pedro Porro also sidelined. Sporting Director Johan Lange has backed Tudor to bring "clarity and intensity" to a squad that has struggled for identity throughout the 2025/26 campaign.