Antonio Conte has revealed his burning ambition to end his wretched record in Europe.
Tottenham boss Conte is one of the most successful managers in European football when it comes to domestic trophies as he has led Juventus, Inter Milan and Chelsea to Serie A and Premier League titles.
But, incredibly, Conte has never gone beyond the quarter-finals in the Champions League and has gone out at the Group stage in three of his five campaigns in the competition. The closest Conte has come to European success was in the Europa League but Inter lost the 2020 final to Sevilla.
Conte has steered Tottenham back into Europe’s elite competition and begins his latest campaign against Marseille with a burning ambition to add more silverware to his glittering CV.
Conte said: “I think success in Europe with a trophy is important for every manager. You know very well that it's not simple, not easy because to lift a trophy in Europe, especially in Champions League.
“It’s important also to be the coach, the manager - or you have more probability to win it if you are in a team that's used to win. It's normal. Two years ago we lost the Europa League final to Sevilla.
“But for sure in my heart, in my mind, in my ambition, there is the will to have success in Europe. I know very well that it’s difficult but at the same time, I have this ambition.”
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Conte laughed off the suggestion that Italian managers are more obsessed with winning the domestic title than the Champions League.
“No. We have Carlo Ancelotti, no?!” said Conte. “We have this example, he lift a lot of time the Champions League but he lifted the Champions League when he was in Real Madrid, when he was in Milan when Milan were a really, really top team.
“I remember also a final I lost against him when I was in Juventus and he was in Milan. I repeat it depends a lot on the team you are coaching because in this type of competition, the experience, the story means a lot because for this reason.”
