#PLStories- Antonio Conte on what his Tottenham players must learn from Champions League defeat #THFC
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What did you make of your team’s performance and what did you say to your players after the game?
I think the game in the first half was in balance between the two teams. Honestly in the second half we felt the opportunity to get the three points and win the game. We had the chances to score but in the end we are talking about a loss. For sure we can do much better in those last few minutes. We conceded a counter attack with a one vs one. It was the player who shot and Hugo made a really good save, maybe the most difficult save of the game. After this, the corner we conceded a goal. I always say to my players that the details move the final result. I think that maybe we didn’t deserve to win but at the same time we didn’t deserve to lose this game tonight. We try to analyse the game very well with the players to understand what were the positive things that we did and what are the negative situations that we can improve for the future. For sure this level is a high level, the Champions League. Against Marseille was another tough game. Tonight was another tough game. We need to know that if we want to have the ambition to go to the next round we have to fight, we have to fight a lot, especially in this group because in this group I see a lot of balance between the teams.
Did you expect the game to develop as it did and for Sporting to keep such focus for 90 minutes?
For sure if you see the final result you can tell that maybe the players of Sporting Lisbon were really focused until the end. In my opinion in the second half they suffered a lot to be strong, to be a team and then they have taken the opportunity to win the game. It’s a big compliment for them because during the game you know very well that there are moments when you have to suffer and the most important thing is to suffer together. At the same time they were good to take a moment to try to win the game. That happened in the final minutes and for this reason they deserved to win.
Were you surprised by the way Sporting tried to control the game and were your forward lacking inspiration and contained by the Sporting defence?
I think Sporting played a good game and in the end they won but if the game finished as a draw and we are talking about a regret that we didn’t win tonight. I didn’t see a lot of difference between them and us, in the aspects. For sure they exploited the details. The corner. In the first half we had three corners that if you go to watch these three corners we go with two players alone and we didn’t take the ball. They were good to do this and we are talking about a really good team. They have played in the Champions League for many years. Two years ago they won the league in Portugal, with Porto and Benfica, Sporting Lisbon is one of the best teams. They are used to playing in the Champions League. This is not a surprise for me.
Do you think this result will act as a small reminder to your players about the level of the Champions League and that if you don’t take your chances a draw can become a defeat?
The level of the Champions League is high. It’s very high. you know that to play in this competition you have to reduce the mistakes, because at the end you can pay. Tonight we paid a lot and now we are talking about a loss against a team that showed to be used to playing in this competition. It’s a pity. For sure we have to analyse very well the game, also the players, it’s right but they know very well that this level is a very important level and to play this competition you have to continue to improve. You have to continue to improve yourself but this is normal. It’s right to continue to improve this process with the players. Don’t forget that last season in November we lost to Mura in the Conference League in Slovenia. I think that we then made an important step forward, because tonight in my opinion it was more fair a draw than a defeat honestly.
One of Tottenham’s strategies seemed to be putting pressure on the Sporting players and putting more players in there, did the physical factor and lack of effectiveness lead to the defeat?
But the strategy was always the same and to try to put pressure and to create problems and I think we did it because Sporting Lisbon are very good in possession and we won important balls. I think we could exploit this after the pressure better than we did. I think we played the game that we prepared. We wanted to press high to put pressure for the whole game and we did this in every area of the pitch. Then at the same time when we had the ball we tried to create problems to Sporting Lisbon.
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