Antonio Conte has made it plain he will not forget José Mourinho’s verbal attack nor does he have any regrets over his part in the row that broke out between the pair last Friday.
The Chelsea manager said Mourinho was acting as if he had “demenza senile”, having taken exception to his rival’s comments about how he did not have to “behave as a clown on the touchline” to prove his passion for Manchester United, which was interpreted as an attack on Conte.
Conte, preparing for tonight’s Carabao Cup semi-final first-leg against Arsenal at Stamford Bridge, reported Eden Hazard was fit after a calf problem but the game would come too soon for Ross Barkley, the £15m signing from Everton, who is working to regain full fitness. Inevitably Conte was asked about Mourinho. “I have this look, of a person that regrets? I don’t think so,” Conte said, after giving his inquisitor a stony-faced stare. “I think we both said things and we’ll see what happens in future.”
Conte was asked whether the League Managers Association had entered the dispute in an effort to resolve it. “I think it’s not important, the association, you understand?” Conte said. “It’s not important. He said serious words, using serious words. And I won’t forget this.
“This is not a problem from the clubs. It’s a problem between me and him. I stop. Stop.”
It is difficult to overstate the depth of Conte’s anger towards Mourinho or his resolution not to cede an inch in the battle with him. There is every likelihood it will continue to simmer all the way to Chelsea’s Premier League visit to Old Trafford on Sunday 25 February, although that would change if Chelsea were to reach the Carabao Cup final, which is set for the same day.
Conte will pick a strong side against Arsenal, perhaps mindful that Arsène Wenger will do likewise. The Arsenal manager intends to start with Alexis Sánchez, despite the uncertainly over the forward’s future, with Manchester City trying to sign him this month. “My expectation is to see the best team from Arsenal,” Conte said. “For sure, we are talking about an important player [Sánchez] but, if this type of situation happens [him leaving] - in my opinion, I think Sánchez will finish the season at Arsenal. This is my opinion. I don’t know what will happen during the transfer market this month.”
Conte had tried to sign Sánchez from Arsenal last summer and he also reflected on another target who got away - the defender, Virgil van Dijk, who joined Liverpool from Southampton for £75m.
“This is football, this is life,” Conte said. “We can have a lot of targets but you must be able to reach those targets. The transfer market is not simple for any club.
“Liverpool have bought Van Dijk to reinforce the defensive line and I think Van Dijk is a top defender. And they spent €85m for this player. At the same time they sold very well [Philippe] Coutinho [to Barcelona]. When you sell a player for this amount of money, you have the rest of the money to improve your team. But the transfer market is not simple, especially if there is this amount of money.”