📣 Conte issues fierce defence of style ahead of UCL clash | OneFootball

Tottenham boss Antonio Conte has addressed the media ahead of his side’s Champions League clash with Eintracht Frankfurt on Tuesday.

This is the best of what he had to say.

On personnel

“There are no new injuries. Ben Davies has recovered. He will be on the bench. Only this news. [Dejan] Kulusevski is still out. [Lucas] Moura is out.

“About Kulusevski, honestly I don’t know about his timeline for recovery. I hope he’ll be back but I don’t know for the next game or for the home game against Frankfurt.”

On defending his style of play

“It’s important to have a plan to exploit the opposition otherwise you’ll concede seven, eight goals.

“In England many times teams concede six, seven goals. In my career, it never ever happens. I won in England. I don’t like to play open, to concede a lot of space, to concede a lot of goals. I think I can teach football … to many people.”

On north London derby loss

“We made really bad mistakes for the bad passes. We had the chances to go in one-on-one and wasted them. Every team has to think about the way to play in different games.”

On fans wanting Djed Spence to play

“The fans have to be fans. They can think anything but I see every day the training sessions. If they trust me, they trust me but the choices are mine.

“If I don’t decide to pick a player, it’s because he’s maybe not ready.

“We are talking about a young player who is a good prospect. I try to pick the best team. [Matt] Doherty last season played every game. Now I’m not seeing him in the right way to start the game. I’m not stupid, I want to win.”

On 3-5-2

“With the type of players in this squad we can play with two systems: 3-4-3 and a 3-5-2. Also [Yves] Bissouma who is a good player who can play with the two midfielders and the two strikers can be Sonny and Kane or Richarlison and Kane.

“Bryan Gil is in the squad and for sure he is the first option for our attack because Kulusevski and Moura is out. We are talking about a young player, we wanted to send him on loan to Valencia but for many circumstances the situation has changed. I trust him.”