Tottenham striker Richarlison has provided a detailed account of his experience with former manager Antonio Conte, revealing that the fiery Italian coach shouted at him for approximately two hours during a team meeting. The Brazilian international had a challenging debut season at Spurs under Conte before the manager was dismissed by the club in March. Conte's departure followed a series of rants, with the final straw being a goalless draw against AC Milan that led to their elimination from the Champions League. In a post-match interview, Richarlison expressed his frustration about his lack of game time and described his situation as "s***." While Conte publicly referred to the striker as "selfish," it appears that he saved his most scathing criticism for a private dressing down.
Speaking on the Que Papinho podcast, Richarlison expressed regret over the interview he granted and acknowledged that he made a mistake by publicly stating his need for more time. He later apologized to Conte, even offering to accept any punishment the manager deemed necessary. Despite their initial confrontation, Richarlison and Conte resolved their issues during the meeting. However, the striker's subsequent injuries further impacted his performance and mindset. Richarlison emphasized that Conte's firmness in addressing the group was an expression of his leadership and commitment to asserting his authority. The dressing down lasted for nearly two hours, witnessed by the entire team, who jokingly advised Richarlison not to repeat his actions, as they were eager to leave the meeting.
After Conte's departure, Richarlison sent him a message expressing his apologies. The striker acknowledged that Conte had advocated for his signing and admitted that he couldn't fulfill the manager's expectations as much as he had hoped. In the 2022/23 season, Richarlison struggled with injuries following his £60 million move from Everton the previous summer. His performance came under scrutiny as he contributed only three goals and four assists in 35 appearances across all competitions. As a result, he has been linked with a potential transfer, with speculation arising about a possible move to Real Madrid under the guidance of his close relationship with manager Carlo Ancelotti, leading to suggestions that he could replace Karim Benzema in Spain.
