Chelsea manager reveals his Zlatan regret
HAVING A WORD: Manchester United manager José Mourinho and his Chelsea counterpart Antonio Conte after United’s 4-0 loss at Stamford Bridge in October. in that regard, even if the Italian was also right on Friday – in another of those matterof-fact clarifications – that it would be a “great mistake” to solely put his side’s supreme season down to that.
Competing in the Europa League isn’t the only reason Mourinho has selection worries of his own, but it hasn’t helped. Even beyond the effect on the general fitness and freshness of his players, he has to balance their use between the various games, and also has to find a balance for this game.
There would be no better response or win for Mourinho, after all, than if United went out and played the proactive football he is supposed to have prioritised this season; to finally take the chances they have been missing for so long to really take Chelsea down.
Would someone who so regularly looks to first and foremost lock big games down really allow that, though? Would that even be prudent against a Chelsea side so ruthlessly productive on the counter-attack? Would Mourinho really run that risk?
How would yet another constrained display look, especially if it ends in yet another draw? – The Independent
Kick-off: 5pm ANTONIO Conte has by now faced Zlatan Ibrahimovic several times in his career as a manager, to the point he was talking about how best to prepare against the striker ahead of Chelsea’s trip to Manchester United today, but he could have known much more about him had his career as a player just gone slightly differently.
The Italian retired in 2004, just in the summer when Ibrahimovic arrived at Juventus, and Conte admits there is a slight regret they didn’t play together.
“When Zlatan arrived at Juventus, I finished my career,” Conte said. “It was a pity because I’d like to have played with him.”
The Chelsea manager is one of many, meanwhile, who feels Ibrahimovic is only getting better after having scored 28 goals in 44 games for United this season.
“Yes, I agree. I always said this. I think now Zlatan is at the top of his form in his career. I think he’s a great player now, a top player. Not only a finisher, but he plays for the team. It’s good to have this type of player because it’s very good to play for the team. It’s great. For me, he’s one of the best players in the world, Zlatan.”
And that makes stopping him one of Chelsea’s biggest challenges today.
“We must have good defensive organisation, and we must pay attention because, when he attacks the box, he’s very dangerous. Also when he receives the ball, he’s dangerous. He’s a dangerous player. For this reason, I think my players must pay great attention and great concentration to stop him, and not only one player, but the team.”
Conte, meanwhile, used similar words about a player he did at least manage in Paul Pogba, defending the United midfielder from criticism, and stating that his much-discussed price-tag merely reflects the market for a player of such talent.
“He’s a massive player, Paul. He’s a really top player, a great talent, a complete player.” – The Independent