How Antonio Conte has transformed Inter Milan into Serie A table toppers
“We can have a dream.” Antonio Conte was willing to grant his Inter players that much, after their astonishing second-half comeback overturned a two-goal deficit against AC Milan on Sunday.
Inter were run ragged by their rivals in a wretched opening 45 minutes, but four goals after the break sent them top of the Serie A table.
They only lead Juventus on goal difference, while Lazio are just one point behind. For the first time in years, Italy boasts Europe’s most compelling title race.
But while Conte has accepted that his players can cast an eye towards what would be Inter’s first
Scudetto in a decade, there won’t be any time for daydreaming.
The former Chelsea manager has projected his personality – restless, determined, confrontational – onto a team that was previously characterised by its penchant for the unpredictable, a trait that earned the nickname ‘Pazza Inter’ (Crazy Inter).
Read more: AC Milan and Inter: San Siro's slumbering giants show signs of awakening
Since his appointment last summer, Conte has set about building a project with one clear objective: winning trophies.
The coach made it clear that he knows what he wants, and he won’t settle for anything less – be that from his players, or the club hierarchy.
Romelu Lukaku was at the top of his summer wish list and was signed from Manchester United for a club record €80 million fee, while Diego Godin, Valentino Lazaro, Stefano Sensi, Nicolo Barella and Alexis Sanchez also arrived.
Inter forward Romelu Lukaku celebrates scoring against rivals AC Milan (Getty Images)
Conte quickly identified the bad eggs in the squad, Mauro Icardi and Radja Nainggolan, and got rid of them.
Inter quickly adapted to his 3-5-2 formation, having previously played 4-3-3 under Luciano Spalletti, winning their opening six Serie A games of the season.
Things quickly looked promising, with Antonio Candreva looking a player transformed at wing-back, young defender Alessandro Bastoni showing great improvement, and Lukaku’s partnership with Lautaro Martinez becoming one of the deadliest on the continent.
Read more: Cristiano Ronaldo was supposed to bring a new era of happiness to Juventus - but all is not well with the Old Lady
Something was bugging Conte, though. Despite spending more than €150m in the summer, he was unhappy with the squad depth, and those frustrations came to the fore after Inter threw away a two-goal lead to lose at Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League, a result that ultimately saw them knocked out at the group stage.
Solskjaer appointed as Manchester United’s permanent manager
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been appointed Manchester United manager on a three-year contract (John Walton/PA)
Manchester United have handed Ole Gunnar Solskjaer a three-year contract to make him their manager on a permanent basis.
The move has seemed inevitable for many weeks given the transformation United have undergone since Solskjaer arrived on a caretaker basis following the sacking of Jose Mourinho in December.
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Solksjaer has won 14 of his 19 games in charge, reviving hopes of a top-four finish and unexpectedly guiding United to the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
Solskjaer, who scored 126 goals in 366 appearances for United, was already a hero to fans as the man who scored the stoppage-time winner in the 1999 Champions League final to complete the treble.
And it is some of the those late-game heroics that Solskjaer has restored to United’s play, most notably with Marcus Rashford’s last-minute penalty securing their Champions League win over Paris St Germain at the start of the month.
After Mourinho was sacked following a 3-1 loss to Liverpool on December 16 Solskjaer initially arrived from Molde ‘on loan’ until the end of the season.
Time was up for Jose Mourinho after the December defeat to Liverpool (Andrew Matthews/PA)
The Norwegian club had been adamant he would return to his job there with United poised to look elsewhere for a permanent boss, but Solskjaer’s results were impossible to ignore and former players have been queuing up to call for his appointment.
“From the first day I arrived, I felt at home at this special club,” said Solskjaer.
“It was an honour to be a Manchester United player, and then to start my coaching career here. The last few months have been a fantastic experience and I want to thank all of the coaches, players and staff for the work we’ve done so far.
“This is the job that I always dreamed of doing and I’m beyond excited to have the chance to lead the club long-term and hopefully deliver the continued success that our amazing fans deserve.”
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been appointed Manchester United manager on a three-year contract (John Walton/PA) Manchester United have handed Ole Gunnar Solskjaer a three-year contract to make him their manager on a permanent basis.
The move has seemed inevitable for many weeks given the transformation United have undergone since Solskjaer arrived on a caretaker basis following the sacking of Jose Mourinho in December.
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Solksjaer has won 14 of his 19 games in charge, reviving hopes of a top-four finish and unexpectedly guiding United to the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
Solskjaer, who scored 126 goals in 366 appearances for United, was already a hero to fans as the man who scored the stoppage-time winner in the 1999 Champions League final to complete the treble.
And it is some of the those late-game heroics that Solskjaer has restored to United’s play, most notably with Marcus Rashford’s last-minute penalty securing their Champions League win over Paris St Germain at the start of the month.
After Mourinho was sacked following a 3-1 loss to Liverpool on December 16 Solskjaer initially arrived from Molde ‘on loan’ until the end of the season.
Time was up for Jose Mourinho after the December defeat to Liverpool (Andrew Matthews/PA) The Norwegian club had been adamant he would return to his job there with United poised to look elsewhere for a permanent boss, but Solskjaer’s results were impossible to ignore and former players have been queuing up to call for his appointment.
“From the first day I arrived, I felt at home at this special club,” said Solskjaer.
“It was an honour to be a Manchester United player, and then to start my coaching career here. The last few months have been a fantastic experience and I want to thank all of the coaches, players and staff for the work we’ve done so far.
“This is the job that I always dreamed of doing and I’m beyond excited to have the chance to lead the club long-term and hopefully deliver the continued success that our amazing fans deserve.”
Downing Street urges ‘swift action’ over England racial abuse
England’s 5-1 win in Podgorica was marred by vile abuse, with Danny Rose and Callum Hudson-Odoi subjected to monkey chants.
Raheem Sterling celebrated the fifth goal by pulling his ears as a sign of defiance to what he later called on social media “racists”.
Uefa has launched an investigation.
Solskjaer and his Manchester United stars arrive at Carrington before departing for huge quarter-final clash at Wolves
Attention has been on Manchester United's Champions League draw with Barcelona for the quarter-finals, but attention now switches to last eight concerns elsewhere for the Red Devils. As rain poured down in Manchester on Saturday morning, the United players arrived at the club's training ground in Carrington ahead of departing for Wolves for their evening kick-off in the FA Cup. The likes of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer drove into the training ground along with his first team stars - but the United boss seemed to have left something important back home.
Zidane DROPS Courtois and recalls Bale, Asensio and Isco for first game back in charge of Real Madrid against Celta Vigo
Real Madrid return to La Liga action this evening, as Zinedine Zidane prepares to take his place on the touchline once more. Celta Vigo are the opposition, and arrive in the Spanish capital while languishing in the relegation zone. Follow all the action as it unfolds from the Santiago Bernabeu with Sportsmail, live!
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