Antonio Conte: 'Jose Mourinho is a fake'

By Barney Corkhill, Editor | 06 January 2018

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte accuses Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho of being "fake" in the latest round of inflammatory remarks between the pair.

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has continued his criticism of Manchester United rival Jose Mourinho by branding him "a fake" over his past treatment of Claudio Ranieri.

The feud between the pair has escalated in recent days with a series of inflammatory remarks, the most recent of which saw Conte brand Mourinho a "little man" after the Portuguese referred to previous allegations of match-fixing against the Italian.

Conte has now brought up an incident which saw Mourinho attend a press conference wearing the initials of Ranieri following his sacking by Leicester City in February 2017, having previously criticised the veteran Italian.

"He offended Ranieri for his English. Then when Ranieri was sacked he put on a shirt [with initials on] for Ranieri. You are a fake," Conte told reporters.

"If you want to fight a person, you try to kill this person. And then after two years you try to help this person, because maybe it's good for you, for your profile.

"The situation is very clear. I don't have anything to clarify. It will be the opportunity in the game against United when we go to Old Trafford. Me and him face to face. I'm ready. I don't know if he's ready."

Mourinho had previously implied that Conte acted like a "clown" on the touchlines, prompting the Chelsea boss to suggest his opposite number had "senile dementia".