Antonio Conte casts doubt on future as Inter Milan coach after Europa League final defeat

Inter Milan players. (Photo by Ina Fassbender / various sources / AFP)


Inter Milan coach Antonio Conte has revealed that his future as the Nerazzurri boss can be under doubts after losing 2-3 against Sevilla in the UEFA Europa League final on Friday.

“Now we’ll return to Milan, we’ll take a couple of days off. We will meet, examine the season and everything in a very calm way. We will try to plan the future of Inter with our without me,” Conte was quoted as saying by Sky Sports.

“It has been a very tough season from all points of view, the best decision must be taken for the good of Inter, with the utmost cordiality. There is no resentment, there are different points of view,” the 51-year-old added.

Sevilla on Friday clinched their sixth Europa League title and now stand as the most successful team in the history of the competition.

What was more heartbreaking from Inter’s point of view was that they couldn’t extend their lead and lost the match on the virtue of an own goal.

Sevilla rallied from one goal down to deny Inter Milan the chance of winning their first major trophy in almost 10 years. Romelu Lukaku had given the Italian side the lead before a brace from Luuk de Jong put Sevilla on the lead. Despite Diego Godin’s equaliser, an own goal by Lukaku shattered Inter’s dream.

Earlier in the season, Conte’s men had lost Serie A title to Juventus by a margin of just one point, summing up the kind of season they have had.

“For me it was a beautiful year, I thank those who gave me the opportunity to have a wonderful experience,” the Inter boss said.

“I think I have given a lot and received a lot, from this point of view I am very happy. However, I did not like some situations I experienced this year,” continued the former Italy coach.

“I also have a family and I have to understand if my priority remains football, because there is a limit to everything. I don’t want my private life to be affected too.

“The certainty is that my lads worked hard, they grew up and got to play the important competition final. For many it was the first experience,” he added.