Home » “This period will be very tough for us” – Antonio Conte cites concerns for players returning from COVID

“This period will be very tough for us” – Antonio Conte cites concerns for players returning from COVID

By Eddie Razo -

Tottenham Hotspur is two matches into their return to the pitch following a coronavirus outbreak within their squad that postponed two fixtures and forfeited another. 

Over the weekend, the north London club played Liverpool to a 2-2 draw, and on Wednesday night, they defeated West Ham United 2-1 in the quarterfinals of the EFL Cup.

Manager Antonio Conte spoke to the media after the match, where the Daily Mail relayed his comments. He stated that despite returning to the pitch, the players who tested positive for COVID-19 are still dealing with the fallout from the virus. 

As a result, the Italian tactician would like to see the semi-final matchup against Chelsea be cut to a one-leg match rather than the two-leg due to the drop in form some players see during the game despite having the five substitutions. 

“Honestly, if I have to decide, maybe it would be to play one game and not two games,’ Conte said. “Especially for the situation we are living. But we have to respect the rules. Many players that played had Covid. At one point of the game, the intensity dropped, and for this reason, I made the substitutions.”

“This period will be very tough for us. With an important problem like Covid, I have to manage. In this situation, I’m giving the chance to my players to show me they deserve to play for Tottenham and stay here. This is one positive aspect.”

The first leg between Chelsea and Tottenham will occur on January 4th at Stamford Bridge, and the return leg is scheduled for January 11th at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. 

Tags Antonio Conte Chelsea NewsNow Tottenham Hotspur West Ham United
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