Antonio Conte defends New York City FC's Andrea Pirlo from criticism and provides Paris Saint-Germain's Marco Verratti with some feedback on how to improve.

Ahead of tonight's game against Bulgaria, played at Palermo's Stadio Barbera at 19:45 UK time, the triple-Scudetto winner spoke with RaiSport about his two most famous midfielders.

“I'm mortified by the criticisms of Pirlo,” he said.

“Before every game they say he's irreplaceable, then if his game is a B instead of an A+, people evaluate him poorly.

Antonio Conte defends New York City FC's Andrea Pirlo from criticism and provides Paris Saint-Germain's Marco Verratti with some feedback on how to improve.

Ahead of tonight's game against Bulgaria, played at Palermo's Stadio Barbera at 19:45 UK time, the triple-Scudetto winner spoke with RaiSport about his two most famous midfielders.

“I'm mortified by the criticisms of Pirlo,” he said.

“Before every game they say he's irreplaceable, then if his game is a B instead of an A+, people evaluate him poorly.

“He knows what I think of him and I don't have to say that to anyone.

“Verratti developed greatly at PSG. He became a player with a European dimension, but he must learn to play vertically and speed up the game.”

Conte then touched on the subject of the migrant crisis, the media impact of which is now spilling over into the world of football.

“It's an abysmal tragedy. I'm a man of the sea and I know what it's like to challenge nature with no equipment.

“But I'm relieved that Europe is passing from words to facts, even though it took the shocking, rending symbolic image of the death of a child to touch our conscience.

“Sport can do a lot and the national team, when it comes to solidarity, has always been exemplary.”

Byandrea

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