Antonio Conte has revealed that he was once given the run around by Paul Gascoigne when he had to mark the Tottenham legend in Juventus’ clash against Rangers.
Gascoigne is not just remembered fondly for his exploits at Tottenham but many also considered by many to be one of the most naturally gifted footballers England has ever produced.
The attacking midfielder spent four years at White Hart Lane after arriving at the club from Newcastle United in 1998 before eventually leaving to join Lazio in 1992.
Following his spell in Italy, Gascoigne moved to Rangers, where he won two Scottish Premiership titles, a Scottish Cup, and was even took home the PFA Scotland Players’ Player of the Year in 1995/96 (Wikipedia).
Conte revealed that he had the unenviable task of marking the former England and Tottenham star during a game at Ibrox, and admitted that he had to come off due to an injury during that game.
Following Spurs’ 2-1 win over Rangers on Saturday, the Italian told The Scotsman: “I remember the game, we won against Rangers. I was marking Paul Gascoigne and was running a lot compared to him. My game finished before the end because he injured me!
“We are talking about the past and for sure I have had the pleasure to play at this amazing stadium and against Gascoigne, an icon as a player.”
Spurs Web Opinion
In many respects, Conte as a player was the polar opposite of Gazza. The Italian was nowhere near as naturally gifted as the Spurs legend and had to work extremely hard to get to the level he did. Perhaps, that is what helped the 52-year-old become a deep thinker about the game.
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