Richarlison spoke out against Antonio Conte after Spurs’ Champions League elimination (TNT Sports)
Richarlison blasted Antonio Conte after Tottenham’s Champions League exit on Wednesday evening and described Spurs’ season so far as ‘s***’.
After losing 1-0 to AC Milan in the first leg at San Siro, Spurs needed a win in their return fixture at home to reach the quarter final but instead delivered a lifeless performance as they limped to a goalless draw against a side who currently sit fifth in Serie A.
Speaking after Spurs’ elimination, Richarlison slammed Conte’s tactics for the second half against AC Milan and claimed the Italian did not explain why he started the game as a substitute.
‘We’re out of the biggest club competition, but we can’t play like this needing a goal, we have to put people forward especially in the second half,’ Richarlison told TNT Sports.
‘Now there’s not much to discuss, we can’t assign blame, now we have to focus on the Premier League, we train early tomorrow and the next match is against Nottingham Forest.’
Antonio Conte is expected to leave Tottenham at the end of the season (Getty)
When asked about his own situation at Spurs and Conte’s decision to start him on the bench for the second leg against AC Milan, Richarlison replied: ‘I also didn’t get that. I was playing well, I was in good form, I had two wins against West Ham and Chelsea and all of a sudden he put me on the bench.
‘Against Wolves he played me for five minutes, I asked why and they didn’t tell me anything.
‘Yesterday he asked me to do a test at the training ground, he said if I did well he’d play me, and when the match came he benched me. These things are not understandable.
Richarlison claims he was given no explanation why he was benched for Spurs’ second leg against AC Milan (Shutterstock)
‘He didn’t explain anything. Let’s see what he says tomorrow.
‘You don’t have an idiot here, I’m a professional, I work every day and I want to play. I need more minutes.
‘If the season is, sorry for the word, is s*** why do I not get minutes?
‘I got a small injury but when I’m on the pitch I give my life. I came from two good games, especially against Chelsea where I played the 90 minutes and won a match.
‘There’s not much to discuss, I should have played and now I wouldn’t have to sit here crying.’
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Asked how he stays focused for the remainder of the season, Richarlison replied: ‘There’s about 20 matches left, almost 20 matches, I don’t know 18… thirteen, yeah? Focus on those matches, scoring as many goals as I can because the club paid a lot for me and so far I haven’t matched that on the pitch.
‘Of course, injuries have set me back a little, I needed to play more minutes too, but now I’m going home, rest, tomorrow we have training early, and let’s see if they put me in the starting XI for the next match.’
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‘We can’t play like this needing a goal, we have to put people forward.’
