Antonio Conte returns to Torino. Beyond 3 years later the last time and on a different bench than the previous one; over 10 years since his last appearance with the black and white colours. A love relationship intertwined between his past as a Juventus footballer, his past as a coach and stained (according to some) by his recent past with l’Interdragged to the top of Italy in 2021.
In his long coaching career, Conte has faced Juventus in 8 occasions, 2 before becoming the coach for the three-year period 2011-14 and 6 after, all as the Nerazzurri’s technical manager. He faced it in Serie Bin Serie A and in the Italian Cupand boasts a balance sheet that is anything but positive. Only one victory, only one draw and six defeats. Let’s try to retrace all the challenges, in chronological order.
Serie B, 39th matchday
The first occasion is in Serie B, in a more or less sweet memory of the black and white adventure in the second division. Arezzo-Juventus It is not only remembered for the first time of Conte against his future, but it is also remembered as the challenge that gives Deschamps’ team in return to Serie A after just one year. A little hand signed by the doublets of Del Piero and Chiellini and from the seal of David Trezeguet; for Conte’s Arezzo the goal was scored by Floro Flores.
Serie A, Matchday 12
The second opportunity comes two years later. Conte is already linked to the Juventus bench, but he finds himself on the Atalanta bench when he suffers another little hand from the black and whites. Double by Camoranesigoals from the Brazilians Felipe Melo and Diego, in addition to the fifth seal still of Trezeguet; Valdés and Ceravolo sign for the Bergamo team.
Serie A, 7th day
10 years pass, Conte returns to Juventus and wins three consecutive Scudetti, flies to the Premier League and also ends up on the bench of Italy, before returning to Serie A to coach l’Inter. In the first season the matches against the Bianconeri are to be forgotten. At San Siro they only score Argentinabut Juventus’s are two, Dybala e Higuainand nullify Lautaro Martinez’s equaliser.
Serie A, matchday 26
The return leg represents a crossroads of the Serie A season and is also remembered as one of the last matches played before the Covid-19 pandemic stopped football for over three months. Allo Juventus Stadium Inter collapses punished by a surprising flash of Aaron Ramsey and from the magic of Paulo Dybala.
Serie A, Matchday 18
The only victoryAntonio Conte’s first win against his former team dates back to the first of four matches played against Juventus in 2021. At San Siro, the Nerazzurri, who would win the championship a few months later, dominated Andrea Pirlo’s Bianconeri. The lead was scored by another former player, Arturo Vidal, while the doubling is the work of Nicholas Barella who makes the most of a visionary play in depth by Bastoni.
Coppa Italia Semi-Final First Leg
Two weeks later, Inter are still waiting for Juventus at San Siro, but the outcome is completely different. Lautaro Martinez closes the deal after 9 minutes, but a few turns of the clock later the Bianconeri emerge, dragged by their champion. First on a penalty and then on an oversight by Bastoni, Cristiano Ronaldo scored a brace that gave Juventus an advantage ahead of the imminent return match.
Coppa Italia semi-final second leg
A match, without a doubt the least spectacular of the list, which is played only one week later at the Juventus StadiumThe Juventus defensive wall does not collapse and Pirlo enjoys access to the Coppa Italia Final (which he will then win against Atalanta).
Serie A, matchday 37
A match with little at stake for Inter, already Italian Champions 2020-21 for three matchdays, with everything at stake for Juventus, chasing qualification for the Champions League. The partial opens it CR7reinforcing the penalty saved by Handnovic into the net. Lukaku equalises from the penalty spot, but Square brings Juve back in front, who shortly after ends up in inferiority due to the expulsion of Bentancur. The Nerazzurri equalise in the final thanks to Chiellini’s own goal, but are then defeated by the penalty kick earned and converted by none other than Juan Squareauthor of the brace that decided the match.
