Roberto De Zerbi has ruled out playing Richarlison in Tottenham Hotspur's Carabao Cup third-round tie against Liverpool on Tuesday, despite the Brazilian forward's strong scoring record against the Merseyside club.
Richarlison was left out of Spurs' 25-man Premier League squad list submitted earlier this month after being told he is not part of the club's first-team plans. He failed to secure a departure over the summer, however, which leaves him eligible to feature in the Carabao Cup.
The decision comes despite Richarlison having scored four goals in seven appearances against Liverpool for Tottenham. The 29-year-old turned down a move to Vasco da Gama on Friday, and Tottenham have yet to score a goal in the Premier League during the 2026-27 campaign.
"Richarlison, you already know everything and nothing change for Carabao Cup or Premier League. The situation is the same," De Zerbi said.
"I stay in the middle and I can't say nothing more because it is not my job. I can answer about the result and the players in the squad, the offensive phase, the defensive phase, but not for other things," he added.
"What I have done at the beginning of this season has been to speak with him and to propose an extension of the contract. If he said, 'thank you,' I finished my job."
De Zerbi said he had already addressed the matter. "I said last press conference. I know what happened in the last 45 days. It's not right if I explained. It's not my behaviour. The relationship, the problem is between the player and the club."
"I stay within the club. It's coach and club together. At the start of this season I spoke to him many times to convince him to stay and he didn't want to. I can't go every day to pray for him to stay," he said.
A season-long saga
This is the latest chapter in what has become an unwanted saga for Tottenham, De Zerbi and Richarlison. The forward started the season in the league opener at Brentford but was told he could leave before a move to Everton collapsed. Links to Turkish club Trabzonspor also failed to turn into a transfer.
After Richarlison did not agree personal terms with boyhood club Vasco da Gama on Friday, he was in attendance for Spurs' goalless draw with Everton, his former club, but will remain on the sidelines for the trip to Anfield. The Carabao Cup is English football's secondary domestic cup competition.
De Zerbi will also be without Pedro Porro and Sandro Tonali for the midweek trip to Liverpool.
Top scorer left frozen out
Richarlison was Tottenham's top scorer last season with 11 Premier League goals. He remains in North London and continues training with De Zerbi's squad, except when the group is engaged in tactical work.
Tottenham signed Richarlison from Everton for £60million in 2022. He attended Saturday's goalless draw against his former club. Spurs have yet to score in four Premier League games so far this season.
