Chelsea transfer target Leonardo Bonucci has given the future Chelsea boss a high praise after Italy cruised onto a world-class win over Spain in the Euro 2016 round-of-16, progressing to the quarter-finals against Germany.
Conte has been praised a lot thanks to his solid work defensively, keeping attacking maintained teams like Belgium and Spain away from the Italians’ goal and denying them of scoring even once.
After winning Spain 2-0, Bonucci told the press how he likes to work under the current Azzurri boss after a successful time together for both club (Juventus) and country:
Mr. Conte is important as a coach that is able to really implement a game plan. He is more important in every match. I think that this process that started two years ago is absolutely essential.
This national side is shorn of great talent so we have to come together as a team. We have to have a playing style and I think that Antonio Conte really is the master in this area.
We hope that will be the same instance post-match following the next game. It will be a huge game against the reigning world champions. They’ve got great players, they are a great unit but, as the coach has said, we need to be 23 men and 23 dreamers.
The 29-year-old center-back is one of Conte’s main targets this summer, and according to Football Italia, the Blues are ready to make a €40m bid for the Juventus star.
Tonight we dreamed the match and played it in that fashion. There was a lot of desire to play football. Spain pressed us high a lot in the second half and we struggled to play our way out.
But on the pitch, this team – not just a collection of players or a national side – this team deserved to go through and now we must focus on Germany.
Italy will play the reign world champions Germany on Saturday evening, with the winner setting up against either France or Iceland for the semi-finals.
