The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Conte looking for squad’s character
Chelsea boss looks for a response from team after drubbing by Roma
CHELSEA v MANCHESTER UNITED
Chelsea head coach Antonio Conte believes adversity will reveal the true character of his players.
Conte declined to discuss Nemanja Matic’s transfer from Chelsea to Old Trafford, or comment on his relationship with Jose Mourinho, ahead of tomorrow’s Premier League clash with Manchester United.
The Blues boss focused on his own team, who are seeking to respond from Tuesday’s 3-0 Champions League loss at Roma, which saw Conte questioning their “hunger”.
“We are struggling a lot, because we are facing a lot of important problems,” Conte said.
“To solve these problems is not simple. In this moment you can see if you are a winner or a loser.
“It’s important to show our character, to be strong, to face the problem in the right way.”
Chelsea beat Manchester United 4-0 and 1-0, in the FA Cup, at Stamford Bridge last season and Mourinho cut a frustrated figure on both occasions.
The Portuguese, who won three Premier League titles in two spells with Chelsea, and Conte have exchanged verbal taunts, but the Italian declined to add to the animosity.
Conte said: “It’s not relationship between the coaches. We have to respect the job of the other coaches.
“I have a respect for the job. I stop and finish. He’s an opponent and I’m an opponent for him. After the game it will be the same.”
United striker Romelu Lukaku, meanwhile, insists his critics should not be judging him as the finished article.
Mourinho hit out at the club’s fans after last weekend’s Premier League victory over Tottenham for what he perceived as a lack of support for the striker.
Signed from Everton in the summer for £75 million, Lukaku scored 12 goals in his first 11 games but has not found the net in his last six outings.
But Lukaku believes he is still very much a work in progress and is determined to improve.
The Belgian told Sky Sports: “I’m just focused on improving year in, year out. That’s the most important thing. Every time I try to add something to my game that wasn’t there.
“I think a lot of people are judging me as the finished article. I’m 24. You can’t judge me as the finished article. I’d rather have a career where year after year I improve rather than going to the top and decline.
“I want to be a winner. It’s not about me as an individual, I want to win, and I think here I’m at the perfect stage and at the perfect age where I can take my career to the next level.”