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Ex-Juventus coach tipped for Italy job

Antonio Conte emerged as favourite to take over the vacant Italian national team manager's job after he resigned as Juventus coach on Tuesday.

Ex-Juventus coach tipped for Italy job
Antonio Conte has emerged as favourite to take over the vacant Italian national team manager's job after he resigned as Juventus coach. Photo: Olivier Morin/AFP

Conte, 44, steered Juventus to a third consecutive title last season, the first time the club had achieved the feat since a five-season title run in the 1930s.

His shock announcement came in a video posted on the club's official website.

Dressed in a black-and-white striped Juventus shirt, Conte told the website he felt time had caught up with him at the club and that the time was right to go.

"I have decided to terminate my contract with Juventus," he said.

"I have matured with time and my feelings led me to make this choice. It may be more difficult to keep winning with Juventus. An enormous thank you for what you have given to me as a player and as a coach. I have always been close to you. I want to say that the journey taken in recent years has been historic."

The feeling was reciprocated by club chairman Andrea Agnelli, who wote on the site: "Dear Antonio, you have been a great leader and this news saddens me greatly.

"Three years together have led us to write history with three consecutive titles and two Italian cups."

He added: "Antonio, thank you for everything. Til the end."

The managerial merry-go-round has seen Conte emerge as a front-runner to succeed Cesare Prandelli as Italian national manager, after Prandelli's post-World Cup resignation and subsequent appointment in charge of Turkish side Galatasary.

Ironically, former Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini, recently released by Galatasaray, and ex-AC Milan manager Massimiliano Allegri were already being linked with the Juventus job.

Conte had already hinted he could quit the Serie A giants if they failed to invest in players during the summer break, ahead of a fresh assault on the Champions League.

After winning the title, Conte, speaking in the third person, said: "If Antonio decides to take another path, then he will do so with the greatest respect for the club and the players."

Conte's time in charge of Juve had not been without its controversial moments, as in the summer of 2013, he was caught up in a corruption row after he was charged with failing to report attempted match-fixing during his time with his previous club Siena.

He protested his innocence but was banned for 10 months, reduced on appeal to a a four-month touchline ban, which saw him miss the first half of last season.

Conte, who captained the club during his playing career which stretched over more than 500 games and included five league titles, also led Juve to a record points haul of 102 points as they won their 30th official league title last season.

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RACISM

VIDEO: Spain’s La Liga reviews video of boy racially abusing Vinicius

Spain's La Liga on Monday said it was reviewing a video of a child making racist insults towards Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior during the 2-2 draw with Valencia at the weekend.

VIDEO: Spain's La Liga reviews video of boy racially abusing Vinicius

“We’re in the process of studying and analysing the facts from a legal standpoint to see what we can and should do,” La Liga sources said.

In a video published by a journalist for ESPN Brasil, and picked up by Spanish media, a boy sitting in a woman’s lap can be heard calling Vinicius a “monkey”.

The Brazilian scored twice for Madrid as his team recovered from two goals down at Mestalla on Saturday.

Vinicius raised his fist in a “Black Power” salute after the first of his two goals at a ground where he was racially abused last season. Valencia subsequently banned three people from the stadium for life.

The 23-year-old has become a symbol of the fight against discrimination in Spanish football after suffering racist abuse on many occasions, and he was jeered repeatedly by home supporters on Saturday.

Jude Bellingham was sent off after the final whistle against Valencia for protesting after the referee blew the final whistle right before the England midfielder headed home what he thought was the winning goal.

READ ALSO: Football star Vinicius highlights racist behaviour from Spanish fans

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