(Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images)
Antonio Conte was part of the Juventus team that won the Champions League in 1996 after beating defending champions Ajax in the final.
It was one of the most remarkable moments in the club’s history, and Juventus have not won the trophy since then. The Bianconeri came close in 2015 and 2017, but those remain the most recent occasions when they had a chance to lift the Champions League.
Several members of that successful team celebrated the achievement in Italy this week, but Conte was absent because he is currently on holiday following his resignation as Napoli manager.
The former midfielder remains one of the names linked with the Juventus managerial position if things do not go well with Luciano Spalletti. However, the club continues to trust its current manager and will hope he can lead them towards another successful period.
Conte remembers Juventus success
Conte remains closely associated with Juventus because of his history with the club. He was a committed supporter and worked hard to ensure the team was in strong shape during his playing career.
Juventus are still trying to win another Champions League trophy, but the club continues to celebrate the remarkable achievement of 1996. That success came against a strong Ajax side and remains the most recent time the Bianconeri won European football’s biggest club competition.
Conte also reflected on what made that team special, particularly the human qualities within the squad and the influence of their manager.
(Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)
Conte praises Lippi and former teammates
Conte spoke about the anniversary and his decision to miss the celebrations. He said via Tuttomercatoweb:
“It’s nice to celebrate 30 years of what was that Juve’s most important success. Of that group, above all, I was left with the human value, with a great coach like Lippi at the helm. I would have liked to be there, but I’m not in Italy at the moment. I’m still enjoying some vacation, since this year I have the opportunity to stay calm and rest.”
While Conte was unable to attend the celebrations, his contribution to that historic campaign remains an important part of the club’s history. Juventus will now hope to create another memorable European chapter of their own.
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