The coach of Tottenham Hotspur, Antonio Conte has revealed that Sunday’s encounter with Chelsea will be a great test for his team.
Recall that Chelsea made Tottenham kiss the canvass four times when they met last season, two in the League Cup semi-final followed by one in the league, in January when Conte was still relatively new at Tottenham.
There has a been a measure of stability and consistency with the London club as their fine form towards the end of last season earned them a fourth place finish in the English Premier League and a slot in the UEFA Champions League.
But they make the journey from north to west London this weekend knowing they have won just once at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League era.
“The story is this but we want to try,” former Chelsea manager Conte said Friday. “When I arrived in Tottenham, I say we want to try to write a good story for this club.
“I know very well it will be more difficult than other clubs for many reasons but I think we have started to go in the right path.
“This game will be important to make the right evaluation about our improvement.
“You can win the game and be lucky or lose the game and be unlucky so we have to make the right evaluation after the game with the performance, with the way we played and to feel our improvement.”
Meanwhile, tottenham will be without Clement Lenglet and Oliver Skipp this weekend but Richarlison will return after suspension and be available to make his debut.
Temperatures could hit 35 degrees Celsius in London on Sunday with drinks breaks agreed for all 10 Premier League games this weekend.
“The weather is the same for them and for us,” added Conte.
“In Italy we have 40 or 42 degrees, especially where I was born in Lecce we sometimes touch 45 and we are used to this temperature, but I understand for London it is unusual.”
Tottenham presently leads the premier league table after defeating Southampton by 4-1 in their first match of the 2022/2023 season.