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‘Felt like a joke’… Dejan Kulusevski says he was so nervous about one decision Antonio Conte made at Spurs
Dejan Kulusevski has shared how he thought it was a joke when Antonio Conte told him he was making his first start for Tottenham Hotspur – with Spurs preparing to face Manchester City.
Dejan Kulusevski appeared to be something of a panic buy for Tottenham, arriving on loan on an initial loan from Juventus. With Rodrigo Bentancur also coming in, it appeared that Fabio Paratici was just trying to get bodies through the door.
Kulusevski did not get off to the best start in North London. Tottenham were beaten by Southampton on the Swede’s Premier League debut, and then lost to Wolves, also at home, days later.
Dejan Kulusevski thought Antonio Conte was joking before first Tottenham start
So few would have had much hope for Spurs ahead of their trip to Manchester City in their following game. The Cityzens had not lost a domestic game since the end of October.
Antonio Conte decided to throw his new signing in at the deep end ahead of the game. In fact, writing for , Dejan Kulusevski shared how he did not think that the Italian was being serious with his selection decision – particularly given how much criticism he had faced at Juventus.
“I know the feeling is that I failed at Juventus. Well, I think that’s a strange thing to say when I won two trophies, played in both finals, and decided one of them with a goal and an assist against my former team Atalanta. But in those last six months, it is true that I had a difficult time. When I came to Spurs, I didn’t know how to get out of this negative spiral,” he said.
“’Hopeless, Deki … hopeless’.”
“So what happened? After the Wolves game, Conte told me that I would start my first Premier League game … away to Man City.
“Honestly, it felt like a joke. I was happy that I was going to start, but I was very nervous, and when we were lining up before the game, I remembered the stuff from Italy.”
Special full debut for Swede
Of course, it would prove to be an amazing occasion for Tottenham, and Kulusevski personally. The wide-man would give Spurs the lead inside four minutes.
And with the scoreline 2-2 in stoppage-time at the end of the second-half, it was Kulusevski who set up Harry Kane for the 94th minute winner.
Kulusevski was exceptional during his time on loan, with five goals and eight assists in 18 Premier League games in that first season. And it was that performance against Manchester City which got the ball rolling.