Former Inter President Massimo Moratti said the Nerazzurri were ‘brave’ to appoint coach Antonio Conte, admitting the coach has a ‘difficult character’.
Gian Piero Gasperini is without Josip Ilicic against Fiorentina and admits Atalanta have been distracted by the Champions League. ‘Players are not machines.’
Antonio Conte snapped at the Sky Sport presenter, the reporter and Fabio Capello after Inter’s elimination from Europe. The former coach hit back: ‘He can’t talk only when things go well,’ while Alessandro Costacurta said: ‘He didn’t respect us.’
Atalanta have made history qualifying for the last 16 stage of the Champions League for the second successive season. Italian media praise Matteo Pessina and Luis Muriel who netted the winner at Ajax.
It is often said that Antonio Conte doesn’t deliver in the Champions League, but the statistics show he won just three of his last 15 games in the competition.
The draw for the last 16 stage of the Champions League will take place on Monday, December 14 at 11.00 UK time. Juventus won Group G, Lazio and Atalanta finished runners-up in their groups. Take a look at their possible opponents.
Inter had some chances, rattling the crossbar with Lautaro Martinez and forcing a save with Romelu Lukaku, but the 0-0 draw with Shakhtar Donetsk was not enough and they crashed out of Europe.
Marten de Roon jokes he was ‘surprised’ to be in a scoring position against Ajax, but Atalanta ‘are a great team’ if they achieved qualification despite the locker room tension.
Inter director Beppe Marotta insists Antonio Conte’s ‘decisions are incontestable’ after half-fit Nicolò Barella was preferred to Christian Eriksen against Shakhtar Donetsk.