Thomas Tuchel and Antonio Conte were both sent off for causing a commotion at the end of the London derby at Stamford Bridge on Sunday evening, August 13, 2022. After the whole drama, the two managers explained what happened between them during the post-match interviews.
Tottenham grabbed a dramatic late 2-2 draw against Chelsea in a spunky encounter at Stamford Bridge that saw both managers sent off after the final whistle.
In the feisty London derby at Stamford Bridge, Spurs came from behind twice to snatch a draw at the dying minute. The second equalizer came in the 96th minute, with Harry Kane heading home from a corner.
Raheem Sterling and Harry Kane missed a good chance for either side before Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg drew Spurs level with a low drive midway through the second half. Both Thomas Tuchel and Antonio Conte were booked for a confrontation over an earlier foul following the goal with Tuchel unhappy that an apparent foul on Kai Havertz, long before the goal was scored, was not given as a free-kick.
The bombshell finally fell after the second equalizer came for Tottenham in the 96th minute, with Harry Kane’s missile headshot from a corner. Before that corner, Cristian Romero had appeared to pull the hair of Marc Cucurella in the box, but nothing was done about it which left Tuchel to be less impressed.
Afterwards, the final whistle sounded as Tuchel and Conte both go nose-to-nose again. The two managers shook hands, but Tuchel kept hold of Conte’s hand, refusing to let go of him, causing feisty scenes with a number of players and backroom staffs also getting involved in the brouhaha.
🔵⚪ Late dug out drama leads to both Thomas Tuchel and Antonio Conte receiving a red card 😳 pic.twitter.com/l9Zq9UZhlu
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) August 14, 2022
After the incredible match packed with fussed reactions from both coaches, the duo were red-carded and sent off the pitch.
Thomas Tuchel spoke with Sky Sports after the game to explain why the handbags at the end of the match happened.
He said: “I thought when we shake hands you looked in each other eyes, he had a different opinion. It was not necessary but a lot of things were not necessary.
“No problem. It’s emotional. It’s the game, it’s Premier League. We love it and we’re emotional coaches. If we meet, we meet. If not, not. It’s not a problem, it’s between a football match. Come on guys. Nothing bad happened.”
🗣️ "Both goals cannot stand, absolutely cannot stand, there's only one team who deserves to win, it's us."
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) August 14, 2022
Thomas Tuchel insists there is 'no problem' between him and Antonio Conte after both managers recieved red cards at full time…🔵pic.twitter.com/8sbD8LKfH3
Antonio Conte was also asked about the incident afterward, he responded saying: “I don’t want to comment on the situation because I think it’s the most important thing. If there is a problem, it’s between me and him.”
Tottenham boss Antonio Conte refused to be drawn on his 'full time spat' with Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel preferring to focus on the game itself. ⚪⤵️pic.twitter.com/eRWezJd36h
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) August 14, 2022
Thomas Tuchel and Antonio Conte’s pre-match talk
Meanwhile, before the clash on August 14, Thomas Tuchel had bragged about trashing Conte’s team as the Blues mostly do. He wasn’t just disappointed but extremely furious to have shared points with his rival eventually.
At the beginning of the year, Chelsea faced off against Tottenham three times within a month. Tuchel’s side won each encounter without conceding a goal. It was a run of results that led to Antonio Conte stating there was an “important gap” between the two clubs.
On the issue of the “gap” Conte had previously referred to between Chelsea and Tottenham,Tuchel disclosed he wasn’t convinced there was one in the first place. The Blue’s coach stated: “What he [Conte] felt last season, I believe he meant it at this moment, but I don’t believe it was the truth that there was a huge gulf between us or a huge gap.
“In these games, consecutive games, we were the stronger team and we had the strength, the belief, the luck also, but also the discipline and momentum to beat them”
Tuchel, emphasising on the dominion Chelsea has over Tottenham as the Blues mostly submerge Conte’s team whenever they met said it’s normal for the former Chelsea coach to feel pained like other defeated managers. However, Conte’s unscrupulous approach to close the acclaimed “gap” between the two London teams is what he resents.
“This hurts, it hurts any manager, then it sometimes feels like the gap is bigger than it maybe actually”, Conte said. “I’m very sure he also said it to have the road clear. Why should he put pressure on his team? That was his reality. I mean it in a very friendly way that I don’t believe everything he says. If he tells you today which players will start, we will not believe. If he tells you some tactical things or tells you that we are the huge favourites, we will not believe.”
Having said this before the Sunday’s hullabaloo, does that mean the two coaches have an unsorted differences before tonight’s encounter uncovers their rage or presumably the fight happened as a result of failed expectations from the host. Whichever one it may be, the reaction from the coaches on Sunday night was such an incredible way to end a match.
