Inter manager Antonio Conte taunted reporters and Fabio Capello after his side’s draw with Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday evening – which saw them crash out of Europe entirely after finishing bottom of their Champions League group. done
A win would have put Conte’s side into the last 16, but they were held to a 0-0 draw by Shakhtar – a team that less than four months earlier, Inter had beaten five times in the Europa League semi-finals. was given
No more European football for Inter this season after disastrous #UCL group campaign…? pic.twitter.com/H2DHeQr5jC
— 90 Minutes (@90min_Football) December 9, 2020
Ex-Chelsea boss Conte gave an irritated reply when asked by Sky Sport how his side had coped with two home and away defeats in August.
“Shakhtar came here and changed their tactics against us to neutralize us,” said the Inter boss. [via Football Italia]. “They lost 5-0, so they changed. Think before you ask.”
Sky pundit Capello, who has tasted Champions League success as a manager, then asked Conte if he had a plan B. A line of questions that seemed to annoy the Inter boss with his snappy response.
“We have a plan B, but I won’t talk about it here, otherwise it would be a complete disaster and it would also be ineffective,” Conte replied.
It was a positive and detailed response compared to the former Chelsea manager’s response when Capello suggested that Inter lacked determination and the will to win at all costs.
“I don’t have an answer to that,” Conte shrugged.
The suggestion that there was a lack of commitment from his side really got on the nerves of Conte, who gave a fiery response when asked by reporters if it was missing in such an important match.
“You can have your opinion, I respect that,” the 51-year-old said. “I don’t agree with that, because I think the team gave everything it needed. It’s incredible that we dominated two games against Shakhtar, we didn’t score a single goal.
“I don’t agree that we lacked commitment. My players gave everything tonight, so I don’t agree at all. We have to look at everything with a cool head, that’s how we go out. Not later. There’s a lot of regret and disappointment, but I don’t think at all that we lacked commitment, focus or aggression.”