Llorente joined then-Italian champions Juventus from Athletic Club in 2013. Forming a partnership with Carlos Tevez, he featured in Conte’s famous 3-5-2 system as part of a two-man strike force. On the final matchday of the 2013-14 Champions’ League group stage, Juventus only needed a draw against Galatasaray but suffered a 1-0 defeat to an 85th-minute goal from Wesley Sneijder, which eliminated them from the competition. Despite the disappointment, Juventus went on to win the Scudetto with a record tally of 102 points, a mark that still stands in Serie A. With Conte leaving the following summer, Massimiliano Allegri took charge and guided Juventus to the 2014-15 Champions League final, eventually losing 3-1 to Barcelona.
Llorente recalled his time at Juventus and the one great regret he carries from his spell in Turin, their Champions League group stage exit. He said to Tuttosport: “When I think about Conte’s Juve, I have a huge regret: we were a great team, we were able to get a record number of points in the league, but in the Champions League we were incredibly unlucky. What a nightmare in Istanbul against Galatasaray: in that match they massacred us, they created the conditions for us to lose. Everything went wrong for us, but we were very strong and could truly achieve a dream bigger than ourselves.”
He then reflected on how he felt Conte’s Juventus was stronger on paper than Allegri’s side, adding: “I think we were even better than the following year, when we reached the final in Berlin. Personally, I remember the time with Conte more fondly: he’s an extraordinary coach, he gets under your skin. With Allegri I struggled much more, but the two years in Turin are unforgettable.”
Conte, known for bringing the best out of players, is also regarded as a disciplinarian. This was evident when he substituted Napoli’s Kevin De Bruyne in a top of the table clash with AC Milan, despite his team trailing 2-1. De Bruyne was visibly frustrated with the decision and exchanged angry words with Conte, who let him off with only a warning.
Conte’s Napoli are set to host Genoa on Sunday, while Allegri’s Milan will face Igor Tudor’s Juventus on the same day.
