‘This season has been S***’: Richarlison hits out at Antonio Conte in explosive interview, insisting he ‘doesn’t understand’ why Spurs boss starts him on the bench after dismal Champions League exit
Tottenham star Richarlison has hit out at manager Antonio Conte while also admitting that it has been a *s***’ season.
Spurs crashed out of the Champions League on Wednesday night, as a goalless draw meant they lost 1-0 on aggregate to AC Milan.
Richarlison came on as substitute 20 minutes from the end of the game and was unable to make a difference.
However, in an explosive interview following the game with TNT Sports Brazil, he has questioned Conte for dropping him to the bench after victories over West Ham and Chelsea.
He also admitted in the interview that it has been a ‘s*** season’.
Richarlison has questioned Antonio Conte for placing him on the bench against AC Milan
The Brazilian also said in the interview with TNT Sports Brazil that it has been a ‘s*** season’ after they crashed out of the Champions League following a goalless draw on Wednesday
Richarlison said, as per ESPN Brazil: ‘That’s what I didn’t understand, too (being a substitute). It was going well, in a good sequence, two wins against West Ham and Chelsea.
‘Suddenly, he (Cristian Stellini) put me on the bench, against Wolverhampton he put me on for five minutes. I asked why? They didn’t tell me anything.
‘And, yesterday, they asked me to take a test at the gym, that if I was good I would go to the game and, at the time of the game, they left me on the bench. These are things that it is not possible to understand.
‘Let’s see what he (Conte) will say tomorrow, but there are no fools here either, I’m a professional, I work every day and I want to play. There are minutes left, time left.
‘This season, excuse the word, it’s been s***, because I don’t have minutes, I suffered a little with the injury. But, when I enter the field, I give my life. I came from two games well, I think that’s it, I think I should have played and I don’t have to cry about it.’
It has been a frustrating season for the Brazilian since he joined the club from Everton last summer for £60m.
His season has been plagued with injuries, as well as inconsistent form, which has led to him not starting as much as he would have liked when he completed the move last summer.
Richarlison has struggled for regular starts at Spurs this season under Italian boss Conte
Richarlison believes Conte should have started him in the Champions League clash
He has only scored two goals in all competitions – both in the Champions League – with no goals in 17 Premier League appearances,
The 25-year-old has also only started 12 out of his 25 games in all competitions this campaign.
He recently started in victories for Spurs over London rivals West Ham and Chelsea – both games under assistant boss Cristian Stellini when Conte was away recovering from gallbladder surgery.
Richarlison also started in Spurs’ FA Cup defeat to Sheffield United last week, which along with their Champions League exit means that it will be yet another season without a trophy for the club.
Stellini dropped the Brazilian to the bench for the Premier League clash with Wolves at the weekend, and Conte kept him there for Wednesday’s draw with AC Milan.
Spurs struggled to create chances against the Italian side, and now their attentions will go towards qualifying for net season’s Champions League via a top-four finish domestically.
Richarlison has only scored two goals in all competitions since joining the club from Everton