Conte
Antonio has claimed Pep Guardiola is the most famous manager in English football ahead of his first match against the Manchester City boss on Saturday.
The Chelsea boss believes his opposite number is held in higher esteem than him after high-profile successes with both Barcelona and Bayern Munich.
The likes of Jurgen Klopp, Jose Mourinho, Arsene Wenger and Conte himself have made this season’s Premier League one of the most competitive ever in the dugout, but the Italian believes one stands out above the rest.
Conte says Guardiola has earned the high regard in which he is held in world football as a result of the success he has achieved with both Barcelona and Bayern Munich.
“Pep, [is more famous] for sure,” Conte told reporters. “Pep won a lot in his career. He won international trophies, not only in Spain but also in Germany. Now, in England. For sure, Pep is. Now he’s the top.
“It’s difficult to give a judgment on myself [compared to Guardiola]. Very difficult. Also, I prefer other people to give that judgement. I know me very well.
“I know that I put a lot of studying in on football to find a solution, I put a lot of time in my day on my work, and pressure on myself. I don’t know if I am up in this table or at the bottom.”
Conte revealed that he is able to walk the streets of London more easily than he could in Italy and says he has no problem with respectful fans who stop him in the street for an autograph or photo.
Klopp, meanwhile, compared Conte to his next opponent when he described him as the ‘Guardiola of Turin’ in September – a label which the former Juventus boss found flattering.
“I don’t know but, for sure, I think that’s a great compliment,” he added. “Yeah. I heard that Klopp said this because I had the possibility to build a clear idea of football at Juventus. That’s a good compliment for me.”
