CONTE AND MAX

The rivalry between Antonio Conte and Massimiliano Allegri has always been stoked by the number of trophies that both coaches have won: eleven Scudetti between them. Tactically, too, their respective visions of the game and their characters have often been diametrically opposed. Antonio Conte sways towards rigid tactics, in which each player has a precise role. His style of football is about intensity, charisma and a game management that is about breaking up play. It can bring immediate success, but it is often followed by internal tension. Massimiliano Allegri is worlds apart. The Livornese coach is a purveyor of "simple football" and the management of the individual moments within a game. He places a lot of importance on individual instinct and defensive solidity, trying to be an aggregator and communicator for the club.

In their Serie A trophy cabinet, Allegri leads with six Scudetti to Conte's five, though the latter has won the league with three sides: Juventus, Inter and, most recently, Napoli. In competitive meetings in the dug-out, the head-to-head record, which was updated in this season's earlier meeting, sees Conte in the lead with six wins to Allegri's two, and two draws. The first game was a 3-0 win for Allegri's Cagliari over Conte's Atalanta in 2009, but since then, Conte has had a certain advantage, save for our 2-1 win over Napoli back in September. Allegri replaced Conte at Juve in 2014, managing to go where Conte couldn't: two Champions League finals. In recent times, the two great coaches have had different ways of dealing with the topic of managing the many games in a season. Allegri responded by recalling his past successes during busy schedules.

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