Tottenham manager Antonio Conte has conceded he may have to rest players for Saturday’s clash at Bournemouth due to next week’s ‘final’ with Marseille carrying greater importance.
A dramatic Champions League fixture with Sporting Lisbon on Wednesday saw Spurs denied a late winner after Harry Kane’s stoppage-time effort was ruled out for offside, which means they need a point in France on Tuesday to guarantee a place in the knock-out stage.
Cristian Romero is expected to be one of a handful of players ‘protected’ by the Italian, who knows they can make up for lost points domestically later in the campaign.
Antonio Conte could rest key players against Bournemouth on Saturday afternoon
The Italian already has one eye on Spurs’ final Champions League group game at Marseille
Conte said: ‘What I think is that in the Premier League we have a lot of games to play in front of us.
‘In the Champions League we want to have more games to play but there is a final on Tuesday and this is the difference between the game tomorrow in the Premier League and a game in the Champions League.
‘In the Premier League you can have time to recover. In the Champions League, we are going to play a final.
‘Also for this reason my decision has to be to make the best decision and to understand very well who are the players who are really tired because I don’t want to take risk (against Bournemouth) as for us it is a final on Tuesday.’
Rodrigo Bentancur is another who could be rested at the Vitality Stadium, especially with Oliver Skipp raring to go after recently returning to full fitness.
Rodrigo Bentancur could miss out against Bournemouth after featuring regularly this term
One player who will definitely start is Harry Kane, given the lack of alternatives with Dejan Kulusevski (hamstring) and Richarlison (calf) still injured.
‘There was a possibility if you have players to play in his place,’ Conte added.
‘If Richarlison is out, Kulusevski is out, I have to ask the players to…
Source : dailymail
