CONTE’S PAL ON THE BRINK AT SPARTAK

ANTONIO CONTE’S former assistant is fighting for his job as Spartak Moscow boss as the Russians return to the Champions League.

Massimo Carrera was caretakermanager at Juventus when Conte was suspended in 2012 but his move to Chelsea was blocked as the Blues limited the Italian’s backroom team.

The former Italy defender (above) instead joined Spartak last year and led the Russian club to their first title since 2001.

But despite spending to improve the squad – including the loan signing of Chelsea’s Croatian Mario Pasalic – the defending champions, in the same group as Liverpool, are down in eighth place this season after winning only three of their first nine games.

Oligarch owner Leonid Fedun, who has fired 11 coaches since taking over in 2006, is getting impatient.

Carrera eased the pressure with the 1-0 win over Rubin last weekend when Dutchman Quincy Promes scored his sixth goal of the season.

“We did not lose the points because we played badly, but because we made mistakes,” said the Italian coach. “We stopped that against Rubin and I believe that we will do the same against Maribor.”

Maribor coach Darko Milanic said: “Spartak are a very good team. Looking at the group, I don’t think we can label anyone as an outsider. We have analysed their style very closely and we are ready for anything they might throw at us.”