You can forget about the North London Derby, or Chelsea-Arsenal, it’s Tottenham-Chelsea now! That’s where it’s at regarding London derbies these days, and today’s 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge was truly box office to say the least.
The game was incredible, but we’re all talking about the screaming match and contentious handshake between Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel and his Tottenham Hotspur counterpart, Antonio Conte.
TUCHEL VS CONTE: ROUND TWO!!! ?? pic.twitter.com/XhWuOU4fwD
โ Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) August 14, 2022
Who doesn’t love a good Premier League manager fight, right?
Apparently, both men enjoyed the altercation/clash/row/tiff/jawing/screaming match, whatever you want to call it. Both men got red carded, at the very end, so that means they’ll be suspended over this.
“Honestly, the referee showed me a red card, but he didnโt understand the dynamic of what happened,” Conte said afterward.
“Itโs okay. I have to accept. This is not a big problem. This is not important. The problem is between me and the other coach.
Conte smiled and laughed, when asked if he enjoyed the altercation.
Some American media outlet will cover the altercation today, and make a really bad reach in trying to force in a Ted Lasso reference. https://t.co/OAAiqxv86p
โ Paul M. Banks (@PaulMBanks) August 14, 2022
โI think we did enjoy, next time we pay more attention and shake the hands and solve the problem.
โI think the celebration on both sides was a very good celebration.”
Indeed, both men sprinted up and down the sideline today, to celebrate his team’s goals in a manner befitting Jurgen Klopp, or Jose Mourinho back in the day.
Emotions ran high and the temperature rose- this was Premier League tribalism at its finest.
โYeah, it was hot from the temperature, hot between the benches, hot on the field and hot between the spectators. Everything you would want and hope for from a match like this early in the season,โ Tuchel said while smiling in his post-match interview.
Late night fishing with Antonio Conte ?#CHETOT pic.twitter.com/uk59CrA5SE
โ Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) August 14, 2022
โWe did not insult each other, we did not hit each other, we were fighting for our teams and that is it. From my side, absolutely no hard feelings and itโs part of it. I am surprised we both got a red card for that. But okay.
Thomas Tuchel vs Antonio Conte ??
Whoโs your money on? ? pic.twitter.com/fsJXCpxhHY
โ ODDSbible (@ODDSbible) August 14, 202
Sounds like both men enjoyed the competitive spirt of it all, but it definitely looked, at least from watching on television that both men were very acrimonious towards one another.
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager ofย The Bank (TheSportsBank.Net)ย andย author of โTransatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,โ as well asย โNo, I Canโt Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.โ
He has regularly appeared inย WGN,ย Sports Illustratedย and theย Chicago Tribune,ย and heย co-hosts theย After Extra Time podcast, part ofย Edge of the Crowd Network.ย Follow him and the websiteย onย Twitterย andย Instagram.
