Former AC Milan and Roma coach Fabio Capello has praised Inter tactician Antonio Conte as the Nerazzurri sit atop the Serie A table.
A run of eight consecutive wins has seen Inter open up a nine-point gap in the battle for the title, as they challenge for a first Scudetto since 2010, but saw yesterday’s match against Sassuolo postponed due to a COVID-19 outbreak.
Capello, who won league titles with Milan, Roma and Real Madrid, revealed how he thought Conte had masterminded a potential triumph, whilst also praising Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini and Udinese’s Luca Gotti.
“Conte was able to back down and return to football that was more effective, rational and more in his own style, whilst changing his mind on some players,” the former England coach claimed in an interview published in today’s newspaper edition of Corriere dello Sport.
“It is a sign of intelligence and he will win the league.
“I was telling you about Conte, but there is Gasperini, the only one with a European mentality. Also Gotti at Udinese, who doesn’t want to be a phenomenon and uses the resources he has effectively. As for the Scudetto, Inter won it the day that Milan lost to Spezia.”
Capello effectively ruled out a challenge from Juventus and felt that coach Andrea Pirlo lacked experience to overturn Inter this term, whilst also touching on his comments surrounding the Sassuolo postponement, with Pirlo suggesting it benefitted Inter.
“I don’t believe Juventus will come back. Pirlo missed the coaching development course and had to arrange everything himself in the first three months. It was fully immersive and heavy experience but one that he faced consciously.
“Experience is valuable and helps to reduce the number of errors committed, whilst allowing you to favour intuition.
“The controversy was thinly veiled, but behind controversy there is always a grain of truth. In Italy things have happened that have not occurred elsewhere. But we Italians like that, not only in football,” Capello continued.
Finally, the 74-year-old was asked about a miniseries on the life and career of Roma icon Francesco Totti, who captained the Giallorossi as Capello led them to the Scudetto in 2001.
“They spoke to me about this, but I won’t watch it. They told me about the portrayal of [Luciano] Spalletti as well, which I found exaggerated,” Capello concluded.
