'The same target' - Antonio Conte says Tottenham and Jose Mourinho's Roma are battling superclubs for trophies
/dnl.eurosport.com/sd/img/placeholder/eurosport_logo_1x1.png){kind=logo}
Published 29/07/2022 at 12:50 GMT
Spurs continue their pre-season preparations with a meeting with the Italian club in Israel, which will re-acquaint Conte with old foe, and ex-Tottenham manager, Jose Mourinho. The two managers share not only a host of former clubs but, according to Conte, a "mutual respect", and the Italian thinks the pair will be working to achieve similar goals this season.
Conte 'very happy' at the end of Tottenham’s tour in South Korea
Antonio Conte has said that he sees similarities between Tottenham and Roma as he prepares to meet old foe Jose Mourinho in Israel.
Spurs play their final pre-season fixture before the start of the new Premier League season against their former manager Mourinho, now in charge in the Italian capital.
Conte and Mourinho have each also managed Chelsea and Inter Milan during their coaching careers, and the Italian believes the pair now share a "mutual respect" after previous clashes.
Indeed, Conte feels that both Spurs and Roma are working to achieve similar goals this season, looking to challenge the established bigger clubs at the top of the Premier League and Serie A respectively.
"We have a mutual respect and our histories in football speak for us," Conte said of his rivalry with Mourinho, which ignited after he succeeded the Portuguese at Stamford Bridge and Mourinho was appointed Manchester United manager.
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2022/07/26/3422993-69845033-2560-1440.jpg)
'I like to win, so does Mourinho' - new signing Dybala presented by Roma
"Now everything is good and tomorrow for sure there will be a hug between us.
"I think I'm seeing a similar situation between Roma and Tottenham because both clubs want to build, to go step by step to fight against a team that in the past dominated in Italy, Juventus and also one season Inter Milan. For us City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United.
"It's a good comparison because we have the same target."
While Spurs' late surge under Conte secured Champions League qualification, Roma closed last season sixth in the Serie A table.
Mourinho did guide the club to their first major continental triumph, securing the inaugural Europa Conference League crown.
The Portuguese was sacked by Tottenham in April 2021 after 17 months in charge in north London, with Conte taking the reins later in the year after Nuno Espirito Santo's brief tenure.
As he prepares for his first full season in charge, Conte is confident that he can eventually build Spurs into European heavyweights - though knows that this is a "process" that will take time.
"As I've said before, our project, our plan is to try to become competitive, more than the past," Conte explained. "But you know very well that in football you build something important in one day, one month, one year you have go step by step and try to increase the quality, increase the number of players in your squad.
"Don't forget that when a team stay in the top four and play European games you need to face four competitions in the best possible way.
"To do this you need a good squad with good quality. We are trying to do this but we have just started this process.
"Last season I think we worked very well to reach a place in the Champions League. We have to continue with the club to build with the players, to continue to improve them. They have a lot of space for improvement.
"This is a young team and we can work for many years together to improve and fight with the best teams in England and in Europe."
Scan me
Related Topics
Share this article
Advertisement
Advertisement