Kulusevski lauds ‘unbelievable’ former teammate Diallo after Manchester derby heroics | OneFootball

Tottenham Hotspur forward Dejan Kulusevski is relishing the opportunity to face his academy teammate Amad Diallo ahead of this week’s League Cup tie.

The pair overlapped at Atalanta’s Settore Giovanile academy between 2016 and 2018, becoming close friends as they trained and studied together. Their time in Bergamo was successful as the pair lifted the Italian national youth championship trophy in the 2018/19 season.

They will be reunited in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals, as Manchester United travel to north London.

Speaking ahead of the match, Kulusevski spoke in glowing terms about Diallo despite missing his late Manchester derby heroics, where he won a late penalty and scored a 92nd-minute winner.

Kulusevski said: “His talent is unbelievable. He has been by far one of [Manchester United’s] best players this season. He has so much talent and it will take him [far]. He will probably play [on Thursday] so it will be fun to play against him.”

Thursday will mark the two clubs’ first cup meeting since United knocked Spurs out of the FA Cup in April 2018, winning 2-1 at Wembley Stadium thanks to goals from Alexis Sanchez and Ander Herrera. It will also be new manager Ruben Amorim’s first domestic cup match since taking over.

Kulusevski spoke happily reminiscing on his academy days in northern Italy: “Atalanta was a beautiful football club and they knew their talent. It was not only him, it was a lot of good players.”

Speaking from a Spurs community outreach event, where he spent time with children at a north London school and distributed Christmas presents, he looked ahead to Tottenham’s difficult run of festive fixtures, where they are set to face Liverpool and Newcastle.

Asked whether some good results would make the holidays slightly sweeter, he laughed: “Everything is better when you win games! It is important to win games so we can all enjoy Christmas as it should be enjoyed.

“They are two big games, but two very fun games, and I can’t wait to go out there and do my best.

“We have a lot to play for this season, especially with two cups, and I am looking forward to competing in them both and winning them both. Football is beautiful and when it is going like this it is very easy.”