Tottenham Hotspur’s Dejan Kulusevski started for Sweden in their defeat to Belgium and, more happily, also in the 5-0 victory over Azerbaijan.
He will now return to the north London club, where Antonio Conte was shown the exit door at the weekend. The Italian’s assistant, Cristian Stellini, will be the acting head coach until Spurs find a permanent successor to Conte.
After Sweden’s latest win over Azerbaijan, Fotbollskanalen asked the forward about Conte’s departure from Tottenham, and he was happy to share his feelings.
“Always sad when a person you work with and have grown close to has to leave. But life goes on and you just have to move on. We have 10 games left now and we have to do our best to reach the top four,” he said.
Tottenham took the 22-year-old from Juventus on an 18-month loan deal with a conditional obligation to buy, months after Conte arrived in London. The player has explained what the former Chelsea manager meant to him.
“He has been very important. I have learned a lot from him and I will always remember him, but right now we have his assistant who I know very well. Then we’ll see who comes in next season, but I enjoy the city and the club very much,” Kulusevski explained.
The Sweden international insisted he and his Tottenham teammates will have to back the club’s decision to sack Conte
“It’s not me who decides. Whoever is the coach, we players will always accept and play for him and for everyone else. Now the club made this decision because they think it is the best and we players stand behind that,” he said.
After being knocked out of the FA Cup and the Champions League last month, Tottenham only have league matches to focus on this season. Spurs are currently fourth in the table, two points ahead of fifth placed Newcastle United, who have two games in hand.
