Carlo Cudicini has played for both Milan and Tottenham Hotspur, so the current Chelsea employee predicts their Champions League clash and reveals when he used to ‘insult’ teammate Harry Kane.
The first leg of the Round of 16 will be at San Siro on Tuesday night, while the decider is at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on March 8.
Having represented both these clubs during his playing career, former goalkeeper Cudicini spoke to Milan TV about what we should expect from the match.
“Tottenham are a bit of a strange club, because potentially they could compete at the top level every season. They have a marvellous stadium, a wonderful training ground, fans who have been waiting many years to celebrate a trophy. It’s all there, but something is missing,” said Cudicini.
“I am convinced that with Antonio Conte on the bench, they can get closer to this target of winning something. He did great work last season, but after a more than positive start this term, there have been some ups and downs.”
Conte returned to the touchline yesterday for the 4-1 Premier League defeat to Leicester City, having been ruled out against Manchester City after undergoing surgery to remove his gallbladder.
“All of Conte’s teams are tough to play against, they work very hard, are organised and always dangerous.”
The last time these clubs crossed paths was in the 2010-11 Champions League, Harry Redknapp’s Spurs winning 1-0 at San Siro with a Peter Crouch counter-attack and drawing 0-0 in London.
“The teams are very different now. Redknapp’s Tottenham was all about the individuals, whereas Conte prepares with a different approach and tactical system.”
There is one particular individual who stands out at Spurs now, namely centre-forward Kane, who just broke the Premier League scoring record.
“When Kane was just coming into the senior squad, he was a kid. I was fortunate enough to get to know him before he returned to Tottenham from the two loan spells and after too,” explained Cudicini.
“He was more mature coming back, he knew what he was doing and I’d end up insulting him, because he wanted to stay back after training and practice, practice, practice… with me as the victim in goal!
“This tells you the mentality that those loan experiences drilled into Kane.”
Cudicini started his career at Milan and has never disguised that he still supports the Rossoneri, so the current Chelsea loan player coach has every reason to hope Tottenham tumble.