""We are talking about superstars of the dugout. Coaches [Conte and Mourinho] who shape their teams so deeply that they capture the players' souls," Oriali said."
""For Mourinho and Conte, the players would walk through fire and that's not just a figure of speech. "Their history tells it, and the testimony of those who they have coached. Inside these coaches, there are strong human values.""
""Some matches aren't like the others," he added. "I would never want to play against [his previous] Inter, and any game against a Mourinho side always leaves something behind.""
Antonio Conte and Jose Mourinho will meet when Napoli visit Benfica in the Champions League. Gabriele Oriali, who worked alongside Mourinho during Inter's 2010 treble, praised both managers as dugout superstars who shape teams and command player loyalty. This will be the eighth meeting between the pair and the first since the 2018 FA Cup final, with Conte holding four wins, Mourinho two and one draw. Napoli have won three of four European matches versus Benfica and previously beat them twice in the 2016-17 Champions League group stage. Benfica beat Ajax 2-0 in their last Champions League match. Conte faces injury absences including Romelu Lukaku, Kevin De Bruyne and Billy Gilmour, and Mourinho suggested those injuries are not a decisive concern given squad strength, while matches against Mourinho sides typically leave a lasting impact.
Read at Soccer News
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