Watford striker Richarlison has spoken to the Brazilian media after the 2-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley Stadium on Monday.
Despite showing disappointment for the result, the 20-year-old has praised the Hornets’ efforts, saying the team played well, and only couldn’t get a better result because of their poor finishing.
“I think the team made a good game,” Richarlison told ESPN Brasil. “Unfortunately we did not score, we had the opportunity to score the goals, unfortunately the ball didn’t want to go in. So the team is to be congratulated, fought to the end.”
Richarlison’s head was still bleeding after the game, due to a challenge he had against Tottenham’s Kieran Trippier. The player claimed to be fine, and said it’s a sign he doesn’t avoid dangerous plays.
“There’s a deep cut there. But this happened at Fluminense, so it’s a sign that I don’t run from the plays, it’s a sign that I’m always disputing the balls to win, I want my team to win. So I’m always competing, going into challenges.
“This is part of the game, unfortunately there’s a cut there, the player, Trippier, has already apologised, and this is something that happens in the game.”
At the start of the season, when the striker was doing pretty well for Watford, the questions all used to be about his fast adaptation and the great form he’d been living, sometimes even about being called up to the national team.
But now, Richarlison was asked to evaluate his season, and the speech is completely different. He claims to be tired, and hopes to improve things after the summer.
“I think it was a good season, although I haven’t been scoring for a few months. Unfortunately the ball is not going in. Today I had two opportunities to put the ball in, unfortunately it didn’t want to. Now we continue, there’s been two and a half years that I don’t have vacations, so it’s normal that tiredness comes.
“I feel a little wear and tear. I’m still young, but I’m a human being, I get tired too. So it’s normal, I think the vacations are coming, I think it’s resting a lot now, next year I’ll come prepared and show more of my talent.”
