Dejan Kulusevski has urged his Tottenham teammates to approach the clash against AC Milan with the right mentality and to be prepared to dig deep during difficult moments of the game.
It seemed like Spurs had turned a corner ahead of Saturday’s clash against Leicester, with the Lilywhites registering three back-to-back wins across all competitions, including a 1-0 win over Manchester City.
However, Antonio Conte’s men were taught a tough lesson by the Foxes, who emerged 4-1 winners at the King Power Stadium, with Tottenham’s defensive shortcomings rearing their ugly head once again.
Spurs head into the first leg against Milan not only short of confidence but also without several of their key players due to injury, including Rodrigo Bentancur, Hugo Lloris and Yves Bissouma, who are out injured and the suspended Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.
Kulusevski seemed to put Tottenham’s inconsistency over recent months down to not approaching every game with the same mentality.
Ahead of the clash at Milan, the Swede told Sky Sport Italia (13/02/23 as relayed by Football Italia and MilanNews): “The most difficult thing in football is to find the same mentality in every game. When you don’t do that in the Premier League, you pay the price.
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“We must be ready, as tomorrow we have an important match against a very strong side tomorrow. We have to give more during moments of difficulty.”
It will be the first occasion that Kulusevski has returned to Italy for a competitive fixture since his move to Spurs in January of last year, and the 22-year-old is keen to make an impression.
He said regarding the clash at the San Siro: “It will be a little different tomorrow. I am grateful for this opportunity and happy to play in such a legendary stadium. I will give my all to help the team.”
Spurs Web Opinion
I would feel a lot better if Hojbjerg was not suspended for his clash. I have concerns over whether a midfield of Oliver Skipp and Pape Sarr can cope with the pressure of such a big occasion. However, there is no doubt that we have the firepower to hurt Milan going forward.
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