Antonio Conte steeled to do battle with Manchester United ‘monster’

As a player at Juventus Antonio Conte had first-hand experience of what it meant to step out at Old Trafford, to feel the power of Manchester United, the aura of one of England’s superclubs.

Conte was the Juventus captain in 1999 when the teams locked horns in the Champions League semi-final and he opened the scoring in the 1-1 first-leg draw in Manchester. Inspired by Roy Keane, United would win the return leg 3-2, having been 2-0 down, en route to the treble.

There is no doubt that Conte was flattered when his agent told him that Sir Alex Ferguson rated him and wanted to sign him. “I knew through him that Mr Ferguson appreciated me a lot at that time,” Conte said, as he looked forward to taking his Tottenham team to Old Trafford on Wednesday night.

“You never know if the agent can tell you the truth or the lie! I didn’t speak to him [Ferguson] because I wanted to stay at Juventus and finish my career there.”

It is easy to become wistful for the Ferguson glory years, to acknowledge that Erik ten Hag’s United reboot still has many circuits to wire, but Conte continues to regard a trip to Old Trafford as a litmus test – especially on a psychological level.

Conte’s respect for United is plain; the financial might, how they back their managers with signings. If facing them under the Old Trafford lights is an occasion to get him going, it is also one he hopes can further progress what he is building at Spurs.

“Manchester United always have the power,” Conte said. “Even in the last 10 years [post-Ferguson], every season they had the power to go into the transfer market and invest big, big money.

“They did this after finishing second two seasons ago, signing Cristiano Ronaldo, [Jadon] Sancho and [Raphaël] Varane.

“United will