Tottenham Hotspur’s increasingly bizarre Richarlison saga has taken another dramatic turn, with the Brazilian forward appearing to fire a subtle social-media shot at manager Roberto De Zerbi after being left out of the squad for Tuesday’s Carabao Cup trip to Liverpool. The situation is particularly awkward because Spurs have now gone four Premier League matches without scoring, while Richarlison — their leading scorer last season with 12 goals — remains outside the Premier League squad.
Four Games, Zero Goals — But Apparently Still No Richarlison
Tottenham’s attacking crisis has reached the point where the goalposts might soon need to file a missing-person report. Spurs followed another goalless performance with a 0-0 draw against Everton, meaning they have failed to score in all four Premier League matches this season. The club itself confirmed that the Everton stalemate was its second consecutive goalless draw.
Yet while supporters continue waiting for the first Premier League goal of the season, Richarlison remains on the outside looking in. De Zerbi has defended his decision, pointing to the Brazilian’s desire to leave Tottenham and insisting that the forward’s omission was part of the wider project he is building. The manager has also reminded everyone that Spurs lost 3-0 to Brentford in the opening game with Richarlison starting.
“Why?” Becomes the Loudest Question at Spurs
Then came the social-media subplot. After De Zerbi reiterated his position, Richarlison reportedly responded to a post about the manager’s comments with a crying emoji before sharing it on Instagram with the simple caption, “Why”, accompanied by another crying emoji. In the highly sophisticated language of modern football diplomacy, that is roughly the equivalent of submitting a 40-page complaint without using a single paragraph.
And now, with Tottenham preparing for their Carabao Cup third-round meeting with Liverpool at Anfield, the drama has gained another chapter. Tottenham confirmed that Richarlison’s situation has not changed: he will not be involved against Liverpool, while Sandro Tonali is also unavailable because of injury. The match is scheduled for Tuesday, September 15, after the fixture was rearranged from its original date.
For Spurs, the timing could hardly be more uncomfortable. The team is desperate for goals, De Zerbi is asking supporters to trust his new project, and Richarlison is watching from the football wilderness while apparently wondering why his manager has chosen everything except the man who scored 12 goals last season. Whether the Brazilian’s latest Instagram reaction was frustration, sarcasm or simply an innocent cry for explanation, the soap opera is clearly not finished.
OGM News FC will continue watching the Richarlison-De Zerbi drama as Tottenham head into another night where goals are urgently required and questions about the Brazilian forward refuse to disappear. Stay tuned for future updates.
