Tottenham Hotspur forward Richarlison has criticised manager Antonio Conte after the club’s UEFA Champions League last‑16 exit, questioning why he was benched. The Brazilian, who joined Spurs in the summer for £60 million ($71.21 million), said the north‑London side has had a “shit” season. Tottenham were eliminated by AC Milan, losing 1‑0 on aggregate after failing to score in either leg.
Richarlison has struggled for game time under Conte, playing only the final 20 minutes of the 0‑0 home draw with Milan. “I didn’t understand… I was playing well, we won against Chelsea and West Ham, and suddenly I was on the bench. I played five minutes against Wolves, asked the reason and no one told me why,” he said. He added that on Tuesday he was asked to take a fitness test in the gym and was told he would start on Wednesday if he passed, yet he remained on the bench. “There was no explanation again. Let’s see what he (Conte) will tell us on Thursday, but I’m not silly—I’m a professional who works hard every day and I want to play.”
The 25‑year‑old scored three goals for Brazil at the Qatar World Cup but has managed only two for Tottenham this season and has yet to open his Premier League account, despite the club sitting fourth. He lamented Spurs’ lacklustre attack against Milan, saying they failed to test the Italian side and exited the competition “with a whimper.” With no European football left, the club’s only objective now is securing a top‑four finish.
“This season — and forgive my language — has been shit,” Richarlison said, turning his focus to earning a starting place when Spurs host Nottingham Forest on Saturday. “I’ll try to score as many goals as I can because the club has paid a lot of money for me and I haven’t given enough back on the pitch yet. Fair to say my injuries didn’t help and I haven’t had enough minutes.”
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