Tag: Antonio Konte

Conte: Chelsea will need a ‘perfect game’ to stop Barcelona and Messi

The Italian tactician is aware of the challenge facing his side against the Spanish giants in their upcoming Champions League tie

Antonio Conte acknowledged Chelsea must produce the “perfect game” to get the better of Spanish giants Barcelona in their Champions League last-16 tie.

Premier League champions Chelsea welcome La Liga leaders Barca and Lionel Messi to Stamford Bridge for the opening leg on Tuesday.

It has been a difficult season for Conte and Chelsea amid uncertainty over the Italian’s future following back-to-back defeats in the league, though the Londoners have responded with wins over West Brom and Hull City.

Conte, however, insisted Chelsea face a huge challenge against Barca, who stayed undefeated in Spain courtesy of Saturday’s 2-0 win at Eibar , which moved Ernesto Valverde’s men 10 points clear.

“On one hand you know this team are one of the best in the world – maybe they are favourites to win this competition,” Conte said. “On the other hand we must be excited because we have a great opportunity to play a massive game against a really strong team and to show which is our level.

“For sure we are talking about one of the best teams in the world. We have to try to, I repeat, have the perfect game. The perfect game to try to make the best decisions for this type of team, because this is a different opponent. They have fantastic characteristics with the ball, but they can have weaknesses without the ball and we have to try and exploit this.”

Five-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi has led the way this season with a La Liga-high 20 goals for Barcelona.

But Conte believes it would be dangerous for Chelsea to focus solely on stopping Messi, who has never scored against the Blues.

“I hope to continue this tradition [of Messi not scoring against Chelsea] but I repeat we are talking about a fantastic player and we must have great respect,” Conte added. “But at the same time we must try to be excited to play this type of game and this challenge.

“We are talking about one of the best players in the world but, for sure, we have to work together, work with the team and not only with one player to try and stop him. Because I think that when we feel this type of challenge to man-mark [a player], Messi can become very dangerous.”

Three of the four Premier League clubs in the last 16 of the Champions League have already played, with Liverpool and Manchester City both earning impressive wins away from home while Tottenham were held to a 2-2 draw against Juventus in Turin. 

Source: www.goal.com

Conte given Man Utd shirt signed by Mourinho in bizarre stunt

The Chelsea coach’s media briefing took an unusual turn when he was presented with a special jersey signed by his rival

Chelsea head coach Antonio Conte had a pre-match news conference interrupted in bizarre circumstances when he was presented with a Manchester United shirt featuring his own name on the back and signed by arch rival Jose Mourinho.

The stunt was the work of presenters Stefano Corti and Alessandro Onnis from Italian satirical programme Le Iene.

Last month the duo conned United boss Mourinho – who had been involved in a prolonged row with Conte – into signing a replica shirt with the former Italy coach’s name and the number one on the back.

On Thursday, with Conte addressing the assembled media ahead of the FA Cup fifth-round tie against Hull City, Corti turned up to show off his handiwork.

The prankster approached Conte’s desk and played a video message on a tablet, with the screen not visible to the rest of the room, before presenting the Chelsea boss with his dubious gift.

The message on the video, spoken predominantly in Italian, said: “Antonio, we sent you a messenger. A present for you from your brand new friend, Jose Mourinho!

“He told us he loves you. Look at what he has written on the present he sent out for you: ‘Your friend, Jose.’

“Can you promise us that next time you play against him you will share a sign of peace? Come on, Antonio…you will be friends forever!”

Conte chuckled, stating he had “nothing” to say in response, before Corti added: “This is a present for you. It is signed by Jose Mourinho – ‘To my friend Antonio’. Long live friendship… shall I leave it to you?”

The coach was hardly interested, however, as he told Corti: “No, you can take it with you. Keep it, you will give it to me later.”

The club’s press officer told the presenter to wrap the scene up so the conference could continue in a more conventional manner.

Chelsea travel to face United at Old Trafford in the Premier League next weekend in the first meeting between the clubs since Mourinho and Conte became embroiled in a bitter war of words last month.