Touchline antics
When Chelsea blew United away with a 4-0 win in October 2016, Antonio Conte was understandably delighted with his side’s display and, sure enough, he let it show.
Jose Mourinho didn’t take too kindly to this, though. He was pictured after the game exchanging words with Conte, and it emerged that this exhange was something of a telling off for the Italian.
Mourinho was not happy with how animated Conte’s celebrations were as the goals continued to flow, and warned his counterpart against acting in such a manner.
Defensive league leaders
Chelsea had an excellent season last term and won the title with consummate ease. Mourinho clearly didn’t believe the hype around the Blues, though, and he labelled them a “defensive” team.
“They defend very well and with lots of players and I think in this situation a very defensive team wins the title with counter-attack goals and set-pieces goals, so I don’t think they will let it slip but football is football.”
The Mourinho Season
Before the start of the 2017/18 campaign, Conte couldn’t help but aim another dig towards his Portuguese counterpart. He urged his side to take caution throughout the season and avoid repeating the errors made by Mourinho in his final season at Stamford Bridge.
“Two years ago Chelsea finished 10th. That cannot happen again. We know the difficulty and for sure we want to avoid the Mourinho season with Chelsea.”
More hairy moments
This didn’t hinder Mourinho and his ever-prominent wit in response to veiled digs, though. Following Conte’s comments, he hit back with a not so subtle swipe at the Italian’s decision to have a hair transplant many years ago.
“I don’t know. I could answer in many different ways but I’m not going to lose my hair to speak about Antonio Conte.”
Conte warns Mourinho to keep his nose out of Chelsea's business
Mourinho aimed another dig at Conte in October last year, referring to how he likes to “cry” when his men pick up injuries.
It seems the comment didn’t go unnoticed by Conte, though, who in no uncertain terms told Mourinho to mind his own business.
“I think he has to think about his team and start looking at himself, not others. I think that, a lot of times, Mourinho (concentrates) what is happening at Chelsea. A lot of times, also last season. (He needs) to think about his team.”
Kicking the new year off with a bang
It certainly wasn’t a case of ‘New Year, New Me’ for Conte and Mourinho. In January, they exchanged another couple of digs at each other as the feud continued.
Mourinho inferred that Conte behaves like a “clown” on the touchline, in response to questions suggesting that the United boss had lost his passion for the game.
“Because I don’t behave as a clown on the touchline, it means that I lost my passion.”
Conte, though, struck back viciously. When quizzed about whether these claims were directed towards him, he stated that Mourinho had senile dementia!
Apparently, though, at least according to a club spokesperson, Conte meant to refer to amnesia but got his words mixed up in translation.
Match-fixing
It’s well documented that Conte was suspended by the Italian Football Federation for failing to report on apparent match-fixing during his time at Siena.
Mourinho, without really being provoked, brought this up in January in a bizarre turn of events.
“What never happened to me – and will never happen – is to be suspended for match-fixing. That never happened to me and will never happen.”
"Little man"
Conte proceeded to rip into Mourinho following the comments on match-fixing. The Italian tactician went to extreme lengths to make his point to Mourinho, mocking him and stating that he is a “little man”.
“In the past he was a little man in many circumstances, he’s a little man in the present and for sure he will be a little man in the future. I consider him a little man and I consider him a man with a very low profile.”
Conte also went straight ahead in the following press conference, labelling Mourinho a “fake”.
“I remember with Ranieri when he offended him for his English. And then when Ranieri was sacked he put on a shirt for Ranieri. You are fake, you are fake.”
Mourinho responded by insisting Conte’s words were “serious”, and that he wouldn’t forget what his counterpart had said.
Now, with Sunday on the agenda, we’ll see if the feud continues to rumble on…
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