Il dissing tra Conte e Mourinho

Between Josè Mourinho and Antonio Conte there has never been love. They are not compatible: Antonio is frank, worker and head of the people; Mourinho - despite the various narratives on his person - is celebral, rhetorical, snooty, one of those people so smart he often gets screwed by himself. The Premier League seems to be too small to contain both egos. They have never loved each other since the first day, but since the beginning of 2018 there has been an escalation of verbal violence between the two that has assumed the status of dissing, as if they were two rappers who insult each other with rhymes, while they use press conferences. Here we offer a brief summary of the story.

Josè Mourinho opened the dances on the 4th of January:

Because I don’t behave as a clown on the touchline, it means that I lost my passion. I prefer to behave the way I am doing it, much more mature, better for my team and myself, I don’t think you have to behave like a crazy guy on the touchline to have that passion. That passion, you see it every day. The way a person is dedicated to his work, not what you do in front of the cameras.

The pungent reference seemed to be addressed to Jurgen Kloop but above all to Antonio Conte, who in England broke the stereotype dell'aplomb of the coach composed on the bench with exultation and ranting. Last year it had already happened that the Portuguese coach took it up with Conte due to the excessive exultation during a Chelsea Manchester, which ended 4-0 for the Blues.

Antonio Conte never pulled back when it came to a slide tackle or shouting at a press conference. On the January 5, in his perfect itanglish accompanied by large manual gestures he replied to Mourinho.

I think he has to see himself in the past - maybe he was speaking about himself in the past. Maybe, sometimes, I think that someone forgets what’s said in the past, which is his behaviour. “Sometimes I think there is, I don’t know the [English] name, but demenza senile... when you forget what you do in the past.

At this point in the story José puts his best smile and goes on stage as in the old days at a press conference that maybe will not reach the stratospheric levels of "porqué" or "zeru tituli" but enhances his talent as a contemporary comediographer.

Look, I don’t blame him. Honestly I don’t blame him. I think the press should apologize to me and to him because the question that comes to him is completely wrong. And because of that you had that completely out of control reaction. But I don’t blame him at all. I was asked about my passion—and you know because most of you were in my press conference—I was speaking about myself. And then the question to the Chelsea manager was [as it] I [said] that he behaves like a clown. Probably the journalist wanted to say that [himself] but didn’t have the courage to say that, so he [said] “Mourinho [said] you behave like a clown.” So I don’t blame the Chelsea manager at all, and I understand his reaction. [...] So, a wrong question [posed to Conte], and obviously a strong answer, but I don’t blame him. The only thing I want to say to end the story is that yes, I made mistakes in the past on the touchline. Yes, I will make less but I think I will still make a few. What never happened to me, and will never happen, is to be suspended for match-fixing. That never happened to me and will never happen.

The Mourinho's rhetoric at its highest level: for the entire press conference never names the name of Antonio Conte, if he takes it with journalists, he forgives the reaction of the coach of Chelsea and then plants a knife of words in his heart. Master. It makes me think that he had already predicted the reaction of Conte at the first press conference and this was only the natural evolution.
Conte's reaction came after the F.A. Cup against Norwich, and we can categorize it as those insults that the biggest and most forced contender throws at his competitor: little rhetoric, so much malice.

I think before you make this type of comment, before to hurt another person, you must pay great attention. You show you are a little man. A little man. You don’t know very well [what] is the situation. But I know him very well in the past. In the past he was a little man in many circumstances, is a little man in the present and for sure he will be a little man in the future.
There is a story to speak for him and for me. You can change the story, but you have to know the story very well before hurting another person. In the last period he’s suffering a bit of amnesia. We are there, amnesia. When you become to be older, there is this type of risk.
I remember a stupid example with Ranieri. When he offended Ranieri for his English. Then when Ranieri was sacked he put on a shirt for Ranieri. You are a fake.
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 - as a strategy at this point - did not respond to Conte. Instead, the Chelsea coach returned to the question yesterday on the eve of the challenge in the Carabao Cup against Arsenal, raising even more the querulous tones of the confrontation.