Roberto De Zerbi sticks neck on the line with Lucas Bergvall call in Tottenham vs Brentford

Roberto De Zerbi has backed up what he's said about Lucas Bergvall in Tottenham Hotspur's Premier League opener.

The Swedish midfielder hasn't always had a smooth ride of things during his Tottenham career so far.

Injuries and an inability to consistently hold down a first-team role have limited his impact in N17.

As a result, there has been significant talk surrounding whether Bergvall would seek a move away from Tottenham in the near future.

De Zerbi's arrival threatened to push that closer towards becoming reality, as many questioned his fit in his system.

However, the Spurs boss has heaped praise on the youngster this week, and has backed him to repay that against Brentford.

Why is Roberto De Zerbi taking Lucas Bergvall risk vs Brentford?

As quoted via The Athletic, De Zerbi has confirmed that Bergvall wants to remain a Tottenham player this summer.

He's also been talking up how much he thinks of the 20-year-old, and that's been cemented by his decision to name him in the starting lineup against Brentford on Saturday.

“Lucas Bergvall, 100 per cent,” De Zerbi said when quizzed on whether Bergvall wanted to stay at Tottenham.

“We spoke a lot in pre-season. He’s a top player, a top potential player. I like he stays, but I think now he wants to stay and we have no problem.”

Mateus Fernandes is on the bench for the visit of the Bees, as is Rodrigo Bentancur.

Therefore, De Zerbi has sided with Bergvall over some more experienced and higher-profile names.

As a result, this could backfire if Bergvall doesn't perform well in the curtain-raiser, but likewise could make him look like a genius if he shines.

But, did Bergvall's performance against Hoffenheim show why De Zerbi is right to put his faith in him?

Bergvall deserves Brentford chance after Hoffenheim display

He didn't feature much for Tottenham in pre-season, but his final display against Hoffenheim may well be what's won Bergvall his place in the side against Brentford.

As per FotMob, he completed all 44 of his pass attempts successfully against the German side.

On top of that, he also played one pass into the final third, made four interceptions, three recoveries and won two ground duels.

In total, he made six defensive contributions during his 87 minutes on the pitch, as well as putting two shots on goal with one being on target.

It was the kind of all-round performance that would've told De Zerbi he's ready to handle the tactical responsibilities he'll face operating in his system.

So, all eyes will be on how he gets on against the Bees, as this could really be the start of Bergvall's Tottenham career.