Antonio Conte’s Inter took another step against Scudetto with a 2-1 win over Sassuolo at the San Siro on Wednesday night. Romelu Lukaku, a player who has taken his game to a new level under the Italian, opened the scoring before the coveted Lautaro Martinez added a second.
The Nerazzurri have not been named champions since 2010, but in just his second season in charge, the 51-year-old is set to end Juventus’ dominance. In doing so, he has proven that he is without a doubt the continent’s best coach.
The outspoken former midfielder shares the opinion and has famously fallen out with employers over the years due to his demanding nature but his results speak for themselves.
The rivalry between Juventus and Inter is among the toughest in Europe and after spending the majority of his playing career in Turin – Conte’s decision to take the reins at the San Siro was seen as a betrayal.
Conte had an incredibly successful time at Juve manager | Marco Luzzani / Getty Images
Apart from playing over 400 matches for Bianconeri as a player, he managed them to three consecutive league titles – starting a period of dominance only he himself can put a stop to.
In 2014, he took charge of the Italian national team and exceeded expectations at Euro 2016 when he guided his unaffected side through to the quarterfinals where they were defeated on penalties by the reigning world champions Germany.
By doing this, Conte proved his tactical understanding of the game and the ability to motivate a group could bridge the gap between the Azzurri and some of the more talented sides of the competition.
After the aforementioned tournament, Conte decided to join Chelsea and to say that he hit the ground would be an understatement. He took a side that ended the tenth season before the Premier League title and was unhappy to suffer defeat in the FA Cup final – which shows that it does not take months or years for a top coach to turn the club’s fortune.
Conte guided Chelsea to the Premier League title in his first season | Michael Regan / Getty Images
During his second season, the Blues’ league form was not so impressive, but they made amends in the FA Cup – defeating Manchester United at Wembley.
Conte has never been afraid to make demands on those who control the handbags and this is often one of the first things his critics will point out – but which top coach does not spend money nowadays?
If the results follow – what’s the problem?
Throughout his career both as a player and manager, he has proven to be a serial winner. He may come across as abrasive, immature and selfish, but while he continues to deliver success that should not matter – it certainly did not when Jose Mourinho was at the top of his game.
Pound for pound, Conte is the best in the business.
His team has averaged 2.3 goals per game in Serie A this season – which dispels the myth that his team only plays “functional” football. He is never more than a tantrum from leaving a job, but the intensity and passion he works with is the key to achieving immediate results.
It would be unpleasant to deny that he as a coach belongs to the top table with the world elite.
