Antonio Conte said Jose Mourinho is “a little man” and a “fake” who “tries to offend,” but at the same time is “not surprised” by this attitude.
The pair clashed in Serie A and are doing so again in the Premier League, as the Chelsea boss and Manchester United manager traded insults over the last few days.
Antonio Conte said Jose Mourinho is “a little man” and a “fake” who “tries to offend,” but at the same time is “not surprised” by this attitude.
The pair clashed in Serie A and are doing so again in the Premier League, as the Chelsea boss and Manchester United manager traded insults over the last few days.
“It’s very difficult to answer this type of comment. When a person’s target is to offend another person, you are a little man,” Conte told BT Sport this evening.
“We all know him very well from the past, he is always the same. This is his way. It’s not a surprise for me. If you want to offend another person, you are a little man.
“Life goes on, I am not worried about him. There’s a good opportunity when we play Manchester United to clarify in a room, me and him.
“I don’t like to speak about other Coaches. When you say something, you must take the responsibility.”
Conte continued his attack in a Press conference.
“I remember when he offended Claudio Ranieri for his English. Then when Ranieri was sacked, he put on a shirt for Ranieri. He is fake.
“You show you are a little man. In the past he was a little man, he is a little man in the present and he will be in the future.”
Mourinho implied Conte and Liverpool tactician Jurgen Klopp acted like “clowns” on the touchline, so the Italian replied by saying he “must have senile dementia” if he’s forgotten his own antics.
The former Inter Coach hit back again last night, noting he “will never be suspended for match-fixing.”
Conte had been given a 10-month ban, later reduced to four on appeal before he was cleared completely, for not alerting authorities to the existence of a potential fix in Serie B when he was in charge of Siena.