Russia Conte copy delights Spartak
While Antonio Conte was leading Chelsea to the Premier League title in England, his former assistant Massimo Carrera was helping to bring back the glory days to the “people’s team” in Russia.
Carrera became Spartak Moscow coach in August 2016, taking over from Dmitri Alenichev following the team’s elimination from the third qualifying round of the Europa League. Carrera had been part of Alenichev’s staff, with responsibility for training the defence, and had previously been part of Conte’s coaching staff with the Italian national side at the Euros in France.
When Conte left for London, Carrera had to look for a new job – and he found one almost straightaway in Moscow.
Born in northern Italy, in Sesto San Giovanni near Milan, Carrera had no problems with the Russian weather on arriving in Moscow, yet fans were still surprised to see him with neither a hat nor coat on the bench at temperatures slightly above zero.
In fact, Spartak’s boss spent little time sitting down and was mostly seen running up and down the touchlines. He showed even more emotion on hearing that Spartak had won the title after close rivals Zenit had been beaten by crying publicly in a sports bar while embracing his wife.
The first foreign coach to lead Spartak to the title is not offended when he is called “Conte’s copy” and admits that he made regular telephone calls to the Chelsea boss during the course of the season. He also changed the players’ eating habits, bringing them closer to an Italian diet, and introduced stricter discipline in terms of daily routines, while controlling the atmosphere both on the pitch and in the dressing room.
Not only did Spartak regain top spot, they also won both league games against arch-rivals CSKA for the first time since 1999. For the club’s millions of fans, that feat was almost as important as becoming champions for a 10th time – or 22nd if victories under the Soviet Union are added – as they celebrated life at their new state-of-the-art arena.
Having worked with Conte at Juventus as well as with Italy, Carrera’s posting at Spartak was his first as head coach and the first job outside Italy.
Stationed on the outskirts of Moscow, at Spartak’s training base in Tarasovka, he did not have a city flat, so when his wife and two daughters came to visit they had to stay in a hotel.
He will have to start looking for a flat or a house now. And it looks like it could be a long-term arrangement.