Inter Milan cancel Conte presser over 'insulting' letter

Milan (AFP) – Inter Milan on Saturday cancelled coach Antonio Conte’s press conference ahead of their league game against Fiorentina because of “an offensive letter” published in a leading Italian sports daily.

“Yesterday (Friday), the Corriere dello Sport published an offensive letter towards our coach, justifying its aggression in the comment,” the Italian team said in a statement on Twitter as journalists were waiting for the start of the press conference.

“In order to send a signal to all media that they must ‘guarantee respect of people,’ we will not hold a press conference today.”

In the letter, a Bologna fan wrote he “enjoyed seeing the great Inter outclassed by Barcelona B”, who had shown the Italian side’s “worn-out” coach how to play football.

“I contest this beatification of Conte who in his career despite the victories has never shown a good game,” the letter continued.

It added that despite spending over 150 million euros ($166 million), more than any other Italian team, Chinese-owned Inter could not beat Slavia Prague and lost to Borussia Dortmund.

The editor of the letters’ page Italo Cucci added a comment, stating that Inter have “thrown away the Champions League and maybe the rest too” by loaning Mauro Icardi to Paris Saint-Germain, adding: “Slogan: No Icardi, No Party”.

Corriere dello Sport have already been under fire following their controversial “Black Friday” headline earlier this month ahead of the first Serie A meeting between Inter Milan’s Romelu Lukaku and former Manchester United teammate Chris Smalling, now playing for Roma.

Inter Milan are two points ahead of Juventus at the top of the Serie A table before Sunday’s trip to Fiorentina, but were the only one of Italy’s four teams not to advance to the Champions League last 16.