Roberto de Zerbi's footballing philosophy was forged on the terraces of Brescia's Stadio Mario Rigamonti, where his father Alfredo led the supporters' clubs. "I was born an ultra," De Zerbi says, crediting his dad for passing on a passion rooted in working-class solidarity. That Brescian DNA now runs through Tottenham, where Sandro Tonali — the club's £100m record signing — also emerged from Le Rondinelle's academy.

While Brescia Calcio were wound up this week after financial collapse, their successor Union Brescia carries the flame. Tonali's move triggered a £3.5m solidarity payment due to his boyhood club, though that lifeline vanished with the bankruptcy ruling. Both men remain tied to the city; Tonali attended Union Brescia's play-offs, while De Zerbi flashed the Brescia 'V' sign at Atalanta fans last season.

De Zerbi's principles trace to family adversity in the 1990s, when his father lost their factory and home. "We had to rebuild from scratch," he recalls. His first professional paycheck went toward buying his parents a house. Author Salim Lamrani notes De Zerbi "remains true to the ideals of his youth" — siding with the oppressed, valuing a person's word, and distrusting selfishness.

That ultra ethos — loyalty, authenticity, generosity — now informs his management. As Lamrani puts it: "He is a man of the terraces... straightforward, loyal and authentic." For De Zerbi, the curva isn't background noise; it's the compass.