After Tottenham lost to AC Milan 1-0 on aggregate in the Champions League quarterfinals on Wednesday following a 0-0 draw, Antonio Conte said that Tottenham still needs time to become a European force.
A European end closely following an exit from the FA Cup implies Prods’ 15-year stand-by to win a prize will reach out for basically another season.
After Cristian Romero was sent off for two bookable offenses, Tottenham was unable to respond to Conte’s return to the field, and they were forced to play the final 12 minutes with only one man remaining.
Conte stated, “I’m really sorry for the fans, but we cannot invent the win or hope for a miracle that a trophy will one day be placed in our training ground.”
“We must work together and be patient. Because Tottenham hasn’t won in a long time, I know the fans don’t have patience.
Milan advances to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2012 thanks to a victory over two legs.
Olivier Giroud, a striker for Milan, stated, “We deserved this result, even though we could have scored more.”
We displayed character and quality, and we could have won tonight as well.
Due to traffic congestion, the animated Conte Kick-off was delayed by 10 minutes after both teams arrived later, but the contest started much later.
After taking more time to recover from gallbladder surgery after the first leg, Conte took over again.
Referee Clement Turpin gave the Italian, who was as animated as usual, a yellow card for protesting Clement Lenglet’s booking.
However, the Spurs were unable to rise to the occasion because their players lacked the same level of energy.
Only two of Tottenham’s last seven games have resulted in victories, including a FA Cup loss to second-tier Sheffield United.
At the end of the season, Conte’s contract comes to an end, and he did little to dispel rumors that he would leave.
“The circumstance is extremely clear. “I always said the same things, it has been one year and three months since I became coach of Tottenham,” added Conte.
We need time and patience because, in my opinion, we lack the foundation necessary to compete and win.
However, that does not mean I don’t tell them my vision.
“Now we must conclude the season. I am delighted to work in Tottenham, but we will ultimately make a decision.
Only Milan’s reckless finishing saved Spurs from another night of defeat.
The only goal of the game was scored by Brahim Diaz, but Fraser Forster’s outstretched leg deflected the ball to safety after Diaz’s jinking run inside the Spurs box failed to finish.
At least Spurs forced Mike Maignan to make a save when he tipped Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s shot over 25 minutes from time.
For the final 20 minutes, Conte gambled by switching to a front four with Richarlison, Harry Kane, Dejan Kulusevski, and Son Heung-min up front.
But deep in the final minute, when his header was well saved by Maignan, Kane had the only chance to save his team.
Due to Romero’s lack of discipline, the Spurs were down one man at that point.
After lunging at Theo Hernandez, the Argentine was sent off for the third time in his Spurs career.
At the other end, Sandro Tonali missed a great opportunity by going for the goal himself with his teammates behind him, but Divock Origi’s shot hit the inside of the post.
It didn’t matter because the seven-time European champions stuck with it and reached the last eight for the first time in more than a decade.