Antonio Conte insists Harry Kane will remain on penalty duty for Tottenham at Norwich, despite Son Heung-min’s pursuit of the Golden Boot.
The South Korean is enjoying his best ever season and is on 21 Premier League goals, just one behind Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah in the top scorer race.
Son will be trying to overhaul the Egyptian when Spurs visit Norwich on Sunday, but will not be assuming spot-kicks should Spurs be awarded one.
A special thank you to all of you Spurs supporters for this season 🤍The atmospheres have been amazing because of you. It is an honour for me to be voted the Supporters Club, One Hotspur and Junior One Hotspur player of the season. We will fight until the final whistle next week! pic.twitter.com/EGisbPKyzo— Son Heung-min (@Sonny7) May 15, 2022
Conte reiterated that the team’s need to get the point that would clinch Champions League qualification is greater than Son’s personal quest.
The Italian said: “Before (personal interest) there is the interest of the team and Harry Kane is our player who has to kick. If there is this opportunity Kane has to kick.
“Then I am pleased for Sonny, he deserves to stay in this position, but don’t forget the first interest is the target of the team not personal targets, the personal target comes later.
“If we are good to match both situations I am the first to be happy, but I repeat, I know Sonny thinks my way because he is a really good guy, he is a smart person, a very intelligent person.
“I am the first person to be happy to have a player in my team win the Golden Boot, I am the first. But if you ask me to pick one of these two, you know which is my answer. I also know Sonny’s answer.”
Spurs will return to the Champions League after two seasons away if they can earn a point against already-relegated Norwich.
The Canaries have lost 12 out of their last 15 games as they head back to the Championship, but Conte is not letting anyone think it will be a foregone conclusion for his side.
“I don’t forget in the past what happened, I remember Manchester City in the last game when they were losing against QPR. In England it is not easy,” he said.
“I remember when City lost the FA Cup against Wigan. Football is beautiful especially for these reasons.
“You start 0-0 and if you don’t start with the right concentration and focus anything can happen.
“We know very well the importance of the game. We prepare very well and the focus has to be massive for everybody, if someone thinks the situation is easy I am not that person and I don’t transfer these thoughts to my players.
“Football is beautiful for this reason because it is unpredictable, if you don’t go with 100 per cent focus you risk to lose, especially in England. Everton and Crystal Palace was incredible, 2-0 and then 3-2.
“We have to pay attention but we work a lot to arrive mentally strong at this appointment.”
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