Antonio Conte says it is important for him that Tottenham are in the Champions League next season, but claims the north London clubs need “a miracle” to finish above Manchester United.
And Conte said the challenge of competing at the top of the Premier League is only getting harder, predicting that Sunday’s opponents Newcastle would be in direct competition with Spurs next season.
Conte’s side are three points behind fourth-placed Arsenal ahead of Newcastle’s visit and the Italian acknowledged that a third consecutive league win would heap the pressure on their neighbours, who play Crystal Palace on Monday.
Conte’s future feels potentially linked to Spurs returning to the Champions League after a two-year absence and he admitted that finishing in the top four was important for him as well as the club.
“It’s right to underline that this target is very, very difficult,” Conte said, when asked about Spurs’ hopes of finishing fourth.
“We are not the only team that wants to try to do this miracle. There’s also Arsenal that in this moment has an advantage, and then there is United.
“United is the [top] team that in this season are struggling a lot. Last season, it was Liverpool. Otherwise in England, I continue to repeat, you play for other targets. Because there are a top four, who at this moment are stronger clubs than the others, for many reasons.
“And this season it depends on United. At the moment we are among the teams that have to try to stay very close and exploit if someone fails this season.
“If you ask me about the past, about our possibility to reach a place in the Champions League, I could say to do it’d be very, very, very difficult.
“Now after five months I’m seeing great improvement of my team and we have to fight until the end.
“We have the possibility to reach this target and it’s important to have this type of ambition and put pressure on ourselves for this target. To play Champions League next season is important for me, the club, the players, the fans. Everybody. Because to play Champions League is totally different to Europa League or Europa Conference League, or not playing in UEFA competition.
“It’s an important target for many reasons, for the club, because for sure you can play important things.”
Newcastle had soared up the table and away from relegation trouble after their new Saudi Arabian owners spent £120million in January and Conte believes they will disrupt the established ‘big six’ next season.
“Yeah, for sure,” Conte said. “We’re talking about a club that now wants to invest.
“I know very well these people decided to come into football not just to participate but to win, to be competitive.
“They want to invest money to bring Newcastle to another level.
“You have to continue this idea of football and improve the quality of your squad. This is the only way to be competitive in England. Otherwise important clubs risk slipping in the relegation zone in England. When this happens, it’ll be good to fight for this target. It’s not easy.”
Asked if the pressure would be on Arsenal if Spurs win, Conte added: “First of all, we have to win for us.
“Not look at others. This way you build a winning mentality. You have to look at yourself and not think what happens elsewhere For sure, if you get three points and get continuity, you show you’re a stable team and the table becomes very interesting. But we have to win for us, for our fans and the work we’re doing at the club. But for sure to win you put pressure on the others.”
Conte also said the introduction of five substitutes from next season meant every team had to “strengthen their squads” over the summer.
“With five subs, you can totally change the game during the game,” he said. “Tactically, physically. At the moment only top teams can do this because they have big squads. Other teams they have to try to do this.
“When you want to create great competition in your squad, more players to create quality, to bring in mind difficulties about who should start. This is the only way. If you have only 12 or 13 players, it’s not good for the team, the club, for our target.”
Conte has no fresh injury concerns for Newcastle and says Oliver Skipp and Ryan Sessegnon are “very, very close” to returning to training with the team.
