It is inevitable that two promising players will start.
Tottenham Hotspur meets AC Milan in the first leg of the round of 16 of the 2022-23 season European Football Association (UEFA) Champions League (UCL) held at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza in Milan, Italy at 5 am (Korean time) on the 15th.
At a press conference before the game, coach Antonio Conte (53) predicted a change in the starting lineup, saying, “I will find a solution with two young players, Oliver Skip (22) and Pape Mata Sar (29).”
It is an inevitable decision. Tottenham have been suffering from a string injury to their central midfielders lately. Eve Bisuma (26), who was recruited in the summer transfer market, was excluded from the list due to an ankle injury. Rodrigo Bentancur (25) was out for the season with a cruciate ligament injury against Leicester City. Even Pierre Emil Hoivier (27) is unable to play in the first leg against Milan due to accumulated warnings.
It is a situation where we have to put our hopes on promising players. Conte said, “I didn’t have time to deal with the midfielder’s line injury. It’s sudden,” he said. “I’ll put my hopes on Skip and Pape Sar.” It is unlikely that central defender Eric Dyer (29) will be appointed as a midfielder. Skip and Papesar have no Champions League appearances this season. 안전놀이터
He also reported on his physical condition after recently undergoing surgery to remove cholecystitis. Conte, who returned to Tottenham against Leicester City last time, said, “It’s much better than before. It’s not 100%, but I’m recovering.”
I looked back at the defeat before returning. Tottenham, led by coach Conte, conceded three goals in the first half of the match against Leicester, and then allowed a key goal in the second half to lose 1-4. “There was a lack of stability,” Conte explained. “It’s very difficult to stay focused all the time. Sometimes players collapse under pressure.”
Conte has coached prestigious Italian clubs such as Juventus and Inter Milan. Returning to his home country to face AC Milan, he recalled his life in Italy, saying, “The level of psychological pressure in Italy and England is different. England is a fun atmosphere. Italy is a war between the fans and the team.”
