Jose Mourinho has had better afternoons at Stamford Bridge.
His Manchester United were turned over 4-0 by a group of players that couldn’t seem to buy a win under his guidance last season.
As the game entered its final minutes, the United supporters that had made the trip to London managed to drown out the home support, despite their team’s dismal display.
Noticing this, Antonio Conte gestured to the crowd to raise the volume levels. It was reported after the match that the Italians actions had annoyed his predecessor, prompting to have a word with him at full time.
Speaking afterwards, Conte confirmed that he had merely been trying to encourage the fans to show their support, and appeared to suggest Mourinho’s lack of experience as a player caused him to misunderstand his actions.
“I was a football player, so I know how to behave on the pitch,” Conte said when speaking to Sky Sports Italia.
“There were United fans who kept singing, while ours were in silence after a great performance from my team. I wanted to call the crowd to applaud the players, which seems normal enough to me.
“I have great respect for everyone. Nothing happened with Jose, especially as my behaviour seemed normal. I didn’t make fun of anyone, as I always demand respect.
“Today, I think it is important to talk about the game and I say my players deserved this type of performance.”
Conte was an Italian international in his playing days, representing Juventus for 13 years. Despite his achievements as a manager, Mourinho’s playing career didn’t quite reach the same heights.
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