Antonio Conte has recently said he dreams of winning the Champions League as a coach, but will his next club match his ambition?
Conte has been without a club since leaving Tottenham in 2023 and spent the last seasons watching football from his home in Turin. However, he is now fully refreshed and ready to return to the dugout. As recently explained by Football Italia transfer expert Matteo Moretto, Conte aims to remain in Serie A for family reasons. Although Napoli have approached the ex-Juventus and Inter coach, negotiations with the troubled Partenopei are not at an advanced stage.
Conte also coached Chelsea and Tottenham, with divergent fortunes. He is the last Italian coach to win the FA Cup in 2018, beating José Mourinho’s Manchester United. The Red Devils have once again qualified for the Final this year, meeting Manchester City on May 25, and you still have time to buy FA Cup Final tickets.
Several Italian sources have previously linked Conte with a return to Juventus, a move to Milan, and even Bayern Munich; perhaps only the Bavarians would match his ambition.
Conte told The Telegraph in February that he dreams of winning the Champions League as a coach. Of all the clubs linked with the Italian tactician, only the Bavarians seem well enough equipped to aim for the big European prize in 2024-25.
“Honestly, I’d like to lift the Champions League as a manager one day,” Conte admitted this past February.
“But I know this is very difficult. People think this is simple, but you have to stay in the right club, a club that matches your ambition, a club that is ready to make the final step to win the Champions League. Look at Manchester City. Seven years, no?”
“I’d like to give this joy to my father. He said to me ‘I want to see you lift the Champions League’. It’s not simple, but everyone can have a dream.”
Juventus and Milan will try to close the gap with Inter in Serie A, Napoli are highly unlikely to even qualify for the Champions League in 2024-25.
Milan fans would love to see the ex-Italy international on their bench in 2024-25, but the Rossoneri directors seem determined to hire Spanish tactician Julen Lopetegui.
It is still unclear where Conte will end up next season, but if he joins an Italian club (unless it’s Inter) he may have reduced chances of battling it out for the Champions League victory, especially with a new format. A move abroad may suit him more if he really wants to put his hands on the cup with the big ears, but surely all football fans are looking forward to seeing the explosive Italian tactician return to the big stage.