The last London derby between Chelsea and Tottenham was a thriller that ended in a 2-2 draw thanks to a stoppage-time goal from Harry Kane, but ended as an afterthought.
Key points:
- Former Chelsea manager Antonio Conte clashed with Thomas Tuchel after the Blues-Spurs derby
- Tuchel was put into doubt so Conte didn’t look him in the eye when they shook his hand
- Both managers said they “enjoyed” the matchup and downplayed it
The managers stole the spotlight after an explosive end to the game at Stamford Bridge, just like in 2016 when Tottenham’s challenge ended in a 2-2 draw against Chelsea and the two sets of players and managers clashed repeatedly on and off the field.
Six years later, Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel and Tottenham boss Antonio Conte shook hands on the pitch after the final whistle, but Tuchel appeared to not let go of his grip and hinted that Conte the looked into the eyes
They squared off and yelled at each other, before players and coaches from both teams piled in, pushing and shoving.
Thomas Tuchel (left) says the two managers “were fighting for [their] teams”. (Getty Images: Marc Atkins)
Tuchel and Conte then received straight red cards and there is the possibility of a further sanction.
The pair had also clashed during the game, with Conte celebrating Pierre-Emile Højbjerg’s first Tottenham equalizer in the 68th minute.
Conte approached Tuchel and attacked his chest, sparking a melee between the coaching staff and the substitutes as Tuchel pointed at Conte and told him to stay in his part of the technical area.
Then, after Reece James put Chelsea back in front in the 77th, Tuchel broke into a sprint past Conte and down the touchline, clenching his fist in excitement.
“I thought when we shook hands you looked into each other’s eyes, but Antonio had a different opinion,” Tuchel said of the post-match clash with former Blues manager Conte.
Conte (right) says next time he will make sure to look his opposing coach in the eye when he shakes his hand. (Getty Images: Marc Atkins)
“I was happy when they equalized and it got a bit heated, but nothing big… I think it wasn’t necessary but a lot of things weren’t necessary.”
Conte said the referee “didn’t understand the dynamics of what happened… it would be a shame if, because of this situation, we miss the next game”.
The Italian coach said he will “pay more attention” next time when he shakes hands with his German counterpart, but both managers said they “enjoyed” the clash.
Thomas Tuchel (left) holds on a little longer than Antonio Conte (right) would have liked as the pair shake hands after the match. (Getty Images: Marc Atkins)
“I think because of what happened we liked it,” Conte said, echoing an earlier statement from Tuchel.
“Next time we’ll pay more attention, we’ll just shake hands and work it out. I’ll stay on my bench, he’ll stay on his bench.”
Tuchel also played down the clash, saying they were simply “fighting for our teams”.
“No one was insulted, no one was hurt, we didn’t have a fist fight or anything like that,” he said.
“For me, it’s not a big deal. Today I was part of it and it boiled, of course and it stood out for us. Nothing bad for both of us.”
AP