Tottenham star Richarlison launches stinging attack on Conte in post-match interview
Richarlison, the 25-year-old Tottenham Hotspur player, expressed his confusion about being benched by coach Antonio Conte after victories against West Ham and Chelsea.
He asked Conte why, but did not receive a clear explanation. Richarlison started in those two games but was then left on the bench in the team’s 1-0 loss to Wolves.
In the following game, he was again left as a substitute and only got to play for the last 20 minutes.
Tottenham was eliminated from the Champions League after a goalless draw in their home ground.
This followed a 1-0 loss in the first leg. Fans expressed their disappointment and criticized the team for their lack of attacking performance, with coach Antonio Conte being blamed for his tactics.
Conte’s decision to substitute a defender for Deki Kulusevski when the team was chasing the game after Cristian Romero’s second yellow card also drew criticism. Richarlison spoke out against Conte when talking to the Brazilian media.
“That’s what I don’t understand (being a sub). It was going well. Two wins against West Ham and Chelsea . Suddenly, he put me on the bench against Wolves. He put me on for five minutes. I asked why, they didn’t tell me anything.
“Yesterday, they asked me to take a test at the gym, that if I was good I would go to the game and, at the time of the game, they left me on the bench. These are things that it is not possible to understand,” Richarlison told TNT Sports.
“Let’s see what he will say tomorrow, but there are no fools here either, I’m a professional, I work every day and I want to play. When I enter the field, I give my life. I came from two games well,” Richarlison added. “I should have played.”
Richarlison’s question about why he was benched by Antonio Conte is a valid one, even though it is surprising to hear a player speak so openly about his coach to the media.
It is worth noting that Son Heung-min appeared to be lacking confidence and seemed nervous during the game. Given Richarlison’s solid performances in Tottenham’s recent 2-0 victories over West Ham and Chelsea, it is unclear why he was left out of the starting lineup.
If the team was winning with Richarlison in the starting lineup, why was there a need for a change? As evidence suggests, Richarlison started in those two wins but was benched for the matches against Wolves and Milan.
Tottenham star Richarlison launches stinging attack on Conte in post-match interview
