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Pogba is a massive player for United and his transfer record will get broken, says Conte
The Blues manager prepares to face off against the midfielder he once managed at Juventus as he aims for three points at Old Trafford
Antonio Conte thinks Paul Pogba is important to Manchester United's chances of achieving success in the Europa League and Premier League this season as Chelsea prepare for a visit to Old Trafford.
Manchester United broke the transfer record to re-sign Pogba for £89 million from Conte's old club Juventus. The Serie A champions were managed by Conte when they initially signed Pogba for a £800,000 compensation fee after taking advantage of his refusal to renew his deal at Old Trafford.
Conte then helped the Frenchman to flourish in Turin, who became a key player, ultimately leading him to a big transfer back to his old club. Pogba has been criticised for his form since his big money move but Conte thinks that his former player is a "massive player" for United.
“Honestly, I think he's a massive player, Paul," Conte told a news conference at Cobham Training Ground. "He's a really top player, a great talent, a complete player because he's strong physically, fantastic technique, good stamina, he's fast.
"He has the whole [skillset] of the modern player, and I think he's a really top player. I know him very well and I know he's a really top player. Very, very strong. I worked with him for three years and he arrived in Juventus very young.
"But we understood very soon the capacity of this player. For this reason, only after three or four months, he was playing in the starting XI. Then he learned a lot that season, and also he's a player who likes to work and to improve himself.”
“Paul is always a player who can change a game. I repeat: for me, he's a top player. He's a player who stays at a level so high.”
Gareth Bale broke Cristiano Ronaldo's world transfer record when he went to Real Madrid and Pogba then broke Bale's record last summer as he returned to Old Trafford.
Conte went on to admit that he thinks that the amount of record spent on Pogba will soon be beaten, with the spending power of football clubs growing in recent seasons.
“Yes, I think. I think so," Conte added. "I'm sure that, in the future, this amount of money... someone can pay more than for Paul. I'm sure about this.”
“If you ask me about him, I can tell you that, I repeat, he's a massive player because I know him very well. Then the amount of money that United spent on him, I don't know if it's right or not. But, for me, he's a top player. When you go to buy a top player, you must be able to pay a lot of money.”
Ronaldo and Benzema join Bale in missing Sporting clash
Los Blancos are already without Gareth Bale against Sporting Gijon and have decided to rest the entire BBC trio for the match
Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema will join injured Gareth Bale on the sidelines when Real Madrid travel to play Sporting Gijon in LaLiga.
Bale is out with a calf problem and his fellow first-choice forwards will also not make the trip after being rested by head coach Zinedine Zidane.
The decision comes with Madrid facing crucial matches against Bayern Munich and Barcelona in the week following the Sporting clash.
Ronaldo earned his manager's praise Friday for hitting the century mark in goals scored in European competition, with Zinedine Zidane hailing his attacker's excellent form.
However, Ronaldo will have to wait to continue his fine form until the second leg against Bayern at the Bernabeu on Tuesday.
In addition to Ronaldo, Benzema and Bale, goalkeeper Keylor Navas has also been left out of Madrid's squad for the Sporting game while full-back Dani Carvajal was already ruled out with suspension, and Raphael Varane and Pepe are out through injury.
Castilla player Alvaro Tejero has been called up to make up the numbers in Madrid's 18-man squad and Fabio Coentrao could make only his second league appearance of the season.
The possibility of the full-back making a rare outing was talked up by Zidane in his pre-match media conference earlier on Friday.
Madrid are three points clear of Barca at the top of the table with a game in hand. Luis Enrique's men are also in action on Saturday with a home match against Real Sociedad.
The two teams meet in El Clasico next Sunday after Madrid have hosted Bayern on Tuesday. Zidane's side hold a 2-1 lead in the Champions League quarter-final tie.
Real Madrid squad to play Sporting: Casilla, Yanez, Ramos, Nacho, Marcelo, Coentrao, Danilo, Tejero, Kroos, James, Casemiro, Kovacic, Modrid, Asensio, Isco, Vazquez, Mariano, Morata
Alli 'definitely a midfielder' despite striker's form
The Tottenham star remains grounded despite starting his career in prolific form compared to his Premier League idol, Steven Gerrard
Dele Alli has dismissed suggestions he could be deployed as a striker following a goal-laden season with Tottenham, saying he does not "feel comfortable" leading the line.
Alli's 16th Premier League goal of the season helped Spurs see off Watford 4-0 last weekend to keep their faint title hopes flickering.
The England star has been unleashed in Maurico Pochettino's 3-4-2-1 formation this season, given licence to roam behind Harry Kane in attack.
With Kane having twice spent time on the sidelines injured this season, and Vincent Janssen struggling to find his feet in England, Alli has been suggested as a potential option up top, but he would not be keen.
"I'm definitely a midfielder," Alli told Sky Sports. "When I start playing up top, where H [Kane] plays, I don't feel comfortable.
Feeling good #ACE17 pic.twitter.com/N3xiHa7D74— Dele (@Dele_Alli) April 14, 2017
"I grew up watching Steven Gerrard a lot and he was a number eight so I'd like to play there, but when competition is like it is you play anywhere the manager wants you to. And I can't complain, I really am happy where I'm playing.
"The formation we were playing with three at the back gave me a bit more freedom and the chance to get more goals. Sometimes I have to make runs to get in behind H and give him a bit more room to get shots off and stuff like that. But, as I say, I'm definitely a midfielder."
Alli turned 21 this week, having made his 63rd Premier League appearance against Watford. In that time he has scored 26 goals and assisted another 14, figures which far outstrip the likes of Gerrard, Frank Lampard and Paul Scholes after the same amount of games.
"It's an honour to be put next to those names but I've still got so much to achieve before I can even start thinking I'm as good as them," Alli said.
"They all did so much for their clubs and their country. I think they're unbelievable players. For me they're legends and people I look up to massively, so I don't get carried away with those stats."
Conte wishes he'd played alongside Ibrahimovic & snubs Mourinho's mind games
The Blues boss and the Manchester United forward both played for Juventus but missed playing with each other by a matter of months
Antonio Conte has admitted that he would have loved to play with Zlatan Ibrahimovic after seeing him perform brilliantly with Manchester United.
Ibra made a €16 million move from Ajax to Juventus in August 2004, with Conte having retired from football after a long spell as the captain of the Turin giants just two months earlier.
The Swede missed United's 1-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge in the FA Cup, but Chelsea will have to face him in the Premier League on Sunday and Conte spoke of his sadness at not having been able to play alongside the striker.
"When Zlatan arrived at Juventus, I finished my career in 2004," Conte told a news conference at Cobham Training Ground. "It was a pity because I'd like to have played with him.”
Conte and Mourinho have been involved in heated discussions on the touchline in each of their last two matches against each other, with the ex-Italy coach having taken over from Mourinho as manager at Stamford Bridge .
After United's last defeat at Chelsea, Mourinho proclaimed that "Judas is still number one" after a small section of the Stamford Bridge crowd turned on their former boss. Conte, meanwhile, believes that Mourinho does play mind-games, but that it is to be expected as managers at the top of the game seek to gain every advantage.
“I think every coach has to work to prepare the team – tactically and physically, and psychologically – because when there are these types of games it's important to prepare your team to face every situation. Tactical, physicial, the mentality to be ready. This is our task.
“Look, many coaches try to manipulate and try to [get into] your thoughts, but that's not important for me. It's important to continue to work and have our idea of football.
“My expectations are it will be a tough game. I think, when I talk about tough games, I involve tactical aspects, physical aspects, mental aspects... not only one aspect. It's not right to concentrate on only one of these aspects.
"There are many great players with great techniques, but that is not enough. You must have a good impact physically and technically, and have the right mentality too.”
However, Conte admits that he has made a conscious effort not to respond to Mourinho's jibes as his side sit top of the Premier League with only seven games remaining.
“I don't like it. I prefer to be more focused on my team. If you ask me if I like it or not, I don't. I'd prefer to be focused on my team and the game during the match, so I can find the right solution if my team is in difficulty.”
Guardiola praises Aguero attitude: 'Now he understands what we want'
The striker will sit down with his employers at the end of the season to clear up his future, though his performances have far from suffered
Aguero has scored 10 goals in the 11 games since Gabriel Jesus, who usurped him in the City line-up, got injured at Bournemouth in February.
Guardiola spent the opening months of the season urging the Argentine to up his work-rate and overall contribution to the team, and now believes he is showing big improvements.
However, Aguero and the club are still set to sit down with each other at the end of the season to clear up the striker's future, with neither party sure of the other's intentions.
Sources close to the player have told Goal this week that he is happy in Manchester and feels valued by the City ownership, but it is also understood that his advisors have listened to proposals from other clubs in recent months in case he is deemed surplus to requirements by Guardiola.
City insist publicly that the striker is not for sale under any circumstances, but remain concerned that he could still leave over the summer.
Guardiola has always said Aguero will be key to his plans at the Etihad Stadium, even as he struggled to get to grips with the coach's demands, and the manager is delighted with his forward's recent performances.
"I said many times that he’s involved in the game," Guardiola said on Friday. "My feeling before that he was just waiting to score a goal. Now he’s involved in the game. Not just the defensive part, [where] he’s helped us a lot, but he is doing all he can do in our process to create chances. That’s why. There are no complaints about what he has done after the injury for Gabriel Jesus."
Aguero said he had to learn from the then 19-year-old Brazilian, but insisted defiantly that "I am how I am. I have spent a lot of years in Europe playing the same way."
That interview left an impression that the Argentine was less than impressed with his predicament, though any potential issues have not manifested themselves on the pitch.
Indeed, Guardiola insists Aguero has not given him any trouble at any point this season.
"It was always good, from the beginning, it was always good," he said of the forward's attitude. "No complaints. Maybe now he understands better what we’re looking for. He’s trying and that is what I want. When he misses chances, always you can improve, but we’ve no complaints."
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