Conte forgives Klopp for for his anti-Spurs stance

ANTONIO CONTE is ready to forgive Jurgen Klopp for criticising his style of football, and says the jibe was only made because Tottenham ended Liverpool’s title challenge last season.

‘I understood his frustration,’ said Conte. ‘They lost the Premier League because of that result and we reached the Champions League. It’s OK, every coach has to speak for his team — and for every coach it is important to understand the best strategy to reach a good result. Honestly, I have seen again the game and if there was a team that deserved to win it was Tottenham not Liverpool.

‘I understand why after the game when you felt you lost the Premier League you say something wrong against another team, but he said sorry because he understood. No problem for me. When you are angry it is very difficult sometimes to control your emotion.’

‘It’s not my kind of football,’ Klopp grumbled when Spurs drew 1-1 at Anfield in May, and later admitted he had been wrong. The teams meet again tomorrow, with Conte holding Klopp’s seven years of work at Liverpool up as a good example for Spurs to follow.

‘He has changed Liverpool,’ he said. ‘Liverpool didn’t win for a long period and he needed four years to bring them to be able to win again. This shows it is important for a coach to have time.’

Both men have been united in their opposition to this season’s fixture congestion. Yesterday, Conte blasted the decision to squeeze the Carabao Cup fourth round between the World Cup final on December 18 and Premier League fixtures on Boxing Day.

‘I find it crazy,’ he said. ‘We are the only country to do it. Italy, France, Spain and Portugal, they are all taking time to give rest and breathe a bit.’

Conte also defended Argentina defender Cristian Romero against accusations that he is out injured because he is protecting his fitness for the World Cup. ‘I can tell you that if he has the possibility to play with one leg he wants to play with one leg,’ said the Spurs boss.