Antonio Conte confirms two suspected Covid cases in Tottenham camp ahead of Chelsea League Cup match

ByMichael Hincks

Published 03/01/2022 at 15:58 GMT

Antonio Conte did not name the two Tottenham players but said the club will await follow-up PCR test results before determining whether the duo can play against Chelsea in the League Cup semi-final first leg on Wednesday. Spurs were hit by a Covid outbreak in December and will hope the potential cases do not spread among the camp.

Tottenham are monitoring two suspected Covid-19 cases in their squad ahead of their League Cup semi-final first leg against Chelsea on Wednesday.

Spurs were hit with a Covid outbreak in December, with nine players testing positive and games against Brighton and Leicester in the Premier League postponed, so too a match with Rennes which resulted in a forfeit and failure to qualify for the Europa Conference League knockouts.

Head coach Antonio Conte said the club are awaiting the results of follow-up PCR tests to determine whether the two players will miss Wednesday’s match, while Spurs will also hope the potential cases have not spread further within the camp.

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“We are checking a couple of situations about Covid – and we’ll see,” Conte said on Monday.

'I have seen great commitment of all the players' - Conte

“Two players but we’re not sure 100 percent if they’re going to miss the game. We didn’t [name individuals] in the past and we’ll continue in the same way.”

“We have to check [the PCR tests], and also during the day, to see if there are new positives or not. We’re checking a couple of situations. Then tomorrow we’ll see which players are available to play against Chelsea.”

Conte is back at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday for the first time since he was sacked by Chelsea in 2018.

The Italian is looking to steer Spurs to their first trophy since winning the League Cup in 2008, but said he was more focused on building “something important” with a view to future success.

Conte won the Premier League with Chelsea

Image credit: Getty Images

“For everyone it’s always very important to win trophies – for the club, for the players, for the managers,” Conte added.

“On one hand, I have to tell you this. On the other, I think you have to build to win trophies. You can’t win trophies by speaking and saying you want to win.

You have to build something ready to win. At this moment, Chelsea are more ready than us to win. They won the Champions League last season.

“We have a lot of space for improvement, to be a team with aspirations to win. Then for sure, we’ll do everything to reach the final of this trophy. But I repeat: to use this verb ‘to win’ is more simple than winning.

“Because to win you have to build something important, be solid, have an important squad. Then you’re ready to win. Otherwise you have to hope! To hope in your work you’re doing and hope to do something outstanding.”

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