European exit could help Conte end Inter’s long wait for the title
INTER Milan’s early Champions League departure last week was a major setback for a bitterly disappointed Antonio Conte. But there is a school of thought the frustrating, premature exit could be the added fuel that inspires Conte’s men towards the Italian title.
Inter only needed a 1-0 victory over Shakhtar Donetsk to progress but the Ukrainians held out for a 0-0 draw that saw the Nerazzurri finish bottom of their group and even miss out on the Europa League.
To rub salt in the wounds, Conte was afterwards confronted with awkward questioning from former England coach and now Sky Italia TV pundit Fabio Capello, who asked whether his team had a ‘Plan B’ against similarly defensive sides.
‘Yes we have a Plan B, but I am not going to talk about it in public because then our opponents will know about it and it will became useless,’ Conte snapped back at Capello.
It made great TV and now the clearly riled Conte seems even more determined to take his frustrations out on Inter’s Serie A rivals.
Four days later they did indeed have a back-up plan, fighting back to beat Cagliari to reclaim second spot, while on Wednesday Inter again showed they mean business by grafting for a 1-0 victory over third-placed Napoli, thanks to Romelu Lukaku’s penalty.
Inter’s title tilt could also depend on the looming transfer window and Conte’s quest for experienced reinforcements for the run-in.
Several players will be to allowed leave – possibly winger Ivan Perisic and former Tottenham star Christian Eriksen, who has failed to establish himself in Conte’s thinking. Just 12 months on from his move from north London the Denmark playmaker is already being linked with a return to England, with Manchester United reportedly interested, although PSG could also be an option.
Among the players Inter are said to be monitoring are Atalanta’s experienced Argentina forward Papu
Gomez, although they may have to battle AC Milan for his services.
Inter’s great city rivals still top the table after the midweek fixtures, but only just. The Rossoneri were twice forced to come from behind to rescue a 2-2 draw at Genoa, but Inter’s victory means they now trail by just a point.
Defending champions Juventus were held 1-1 by Atalanta and are third, three points back.
But unlike Inter, the Bianconeri did progress in the Champions League and definitely have one eye fixed on the bigger stage. Juve have been given a favourable draw against Porto in the last 16, while Lazio face holders Bayern Munich and those Bergamo boys Atalanta take on Real Madrid.
Milan will need to balance their own title ambitions with the Europa League, having been drawn against Red Star Belgrade in the last 32.
Domestically, then, the Italian championship heads into the new year looks wide open, but it could be that Conte now uses his lack of continental distractions to really go for the jugular as he bids to bring the title back to Inter for the first time since 2010.
‘I am not going to talk about our Plan B in public because then it will become useless’