To drop Dejan Kulusevski for three games in row has been difficult, confesses Antonio Conte

Ever since his move from Juventus in January 2022, few players have done as well as Dejan Kulusevski for Tottenham with the forward thriving in England. So much so, that the Swedish international was amidst consideration for the Premier League’s team of the season at the end of the term although he didn’t quite make the final cut. Even then, the 22-year-old ended his debut six months in the English top tier with 13 goal contributions across all competitions.

However, while goals have been slightly harder to come by for Kulusevski, the Swede has still played in every game for Spurs this season although his last three appearances have been off the bench. It has seen fans and critics alike question Antonio Conte’s decision to bench the star and the Italian admitted that it was a difficult choice to make for him. But the Spurs boss revealed that Kulusevski still remains an important player and the decision to bench him was tactical.

“For sure to drop (Kulusevski) for three games in a row, honestly, for me, it was difficult. I don’t like to give explanations to my players because otherwise in every game I have to speak to one, to another one and another one,” Conte said, reported the Athletic.

“But at the same time, I spoke with (Kulusevski) because after three times in a row that you go on the bench, I think that he deserved to feel that my trust, my confidence, was like always. It was only a tactical decision because I wanted a strong impact with the three strikers, (Richarlison, Son, and Kane). He’s not a striker, he’s a No 10. Only for this reason. At the same time, (Kulusevski) is an important player for me, for the team."