With four points, the two teams miss the opportunity to join Manchester City and Arsenal (six points) at the top of the Premier League table.

The image of the weekend and this start to the season will undoubtedly remain this stormy handshake between the two managers at the final whistle, which degenerated into an altercation.

Referee Anthony Taylor immediately gave them a red card.

In the furnace of Stamford Bridge (33°C at the end of the afternoon), the mercury had not stopped rising between the German and the Italian, from the first period.

The first tensions appeared when Tuchel ironically applauded Conte just before half-time, very close to the Italian's technical area.

After the match, however, the two coaches put the incident into perspective.

"It's not very important, Conte said at a press conference. If there's a problem, it's only between me and the other coach (Thomas Tuchel, editor's note). If I'm exposed to aggressiveness, I become aggressive in my turn."

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"There is no problem", also tempered Tuchel at the microphone of the BBC, before adding: "These are emotions, that's how it is in football, there is no point in commenting and d escalate now. It's sport, it's the Premier League and we love it, right?

Chelsea dominating but ineffective

In terms of play, in a meeting as intense as the relationship between the two coaches, Chelsea very clearly dominated their opponent.

The Blues outclassed Spurs in the first half, holding the ball (68% possession) and displaying clear superiority in all areas, but not showing any efficiency.

"We were very good, sorry to say it but the two goals of Tottenham should not have been validated, there is only one team which deserved to win, and it was us", commented Tuchel with from the BBC.

Franco-Senegalese Kalidou Koulibaly opened his first match perfectly by opening the scoring with a perfect volley at the far post on a corner from another rookie, left-back Marc Cucurella (19th, 1-0).

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Something to delight the new owner Todd Boehly, sporting director by default this summer, who expressed his joy at the time of the goal.

In the second half, Conte's choice to bring in centre-forward Richarlison and play with four forwards meant Spurs were truly dangerous for the first time three minutes later, with a Kane shot past Édouard Mendy , next (60th).

It was thanks to a long shot from Pierre-Émile Hojbjerg that Tottenham finally found the fault (68th, 1-1), which sparked a first scuffle between Tuchel, the fourth referee and Conte.

In question, the vigorous but unwhistled tackle, at the start of the action, from Spurs midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur.

As in the first period, the Blues again raised their voices on command: first by Kai Havertz, alone in front of goal (75th), then by a new dazzling attack led by Raheem Sterling, positioned at the forefront and decisive passer for Reece James (77th, 2-1).

Tottenham finally managed to equalize from a corner, thanks to a header from Harry Kane (90th + 6, 2-2).

But Conte, champion with Chelsea in 2017, was not satisfied with his team's performance: "I have to be honest, Chelsea were better than us. We have to do better."

First win for Nottingham

In the other meeting this Sunday, Nottingham Forest won against West Ham their first victory (1-0) among the elite since … 1999.

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Nigeria centre-forward Taiwo Awoniyi scored the game's only goal late in the first half, three minutes after West Ham saw a Benrahma goal disallowed for Antonio's foul on Mangala.

Performing last season (seventh in the championship), West Ham starts this season with two defeats after the one against Manchester City (2-0) last Sunday and has still not scored a goal.

Continuation and end of this second day on Monday, with the match between Liverpool and Crystal Palace (9:00 p.m.).

© 2022 AFP