Inter boss Antonio Conte adamant Real Madrid and Gladbach won’t play for a ‘biscuit’ draw in Champions League decider
ANGRY Antonio Conte has dismissed “biscuit” theories that Real Madrid and Borussia Moenchengladbach will hob-nob together in a bid to dump Inter Milan out of the Champions League.
Top two sides Real and Gladbach will reach the KO stage if they draw their Group B finale in Spain… unless Shakhtar Donetsk avoid defeat at Inter.
But despite the wafer-thin margins, Inter chief Conte finds such ideas hard to digest.
Parts of the Italian sports media love conspiracy theories, which in that country are bafflingly known as “biscuits”.
But when Conte was quizzed on the notion of a potential stitch-up, the ex-Chelsea chief brandy-snapped.
Hitting out at the half-baked ideas, he said: “This is the Champions League – we are talking about big clubs, not a kickaround in the park.
“I’m not at all worried about what will happen in Madrid, let’s not talk about other matches.
“I hope the media don’t focus too much on rumours about playing for a mutually beneficial result. It’s depressing to hear about it.
“This is all conjecture – Inter, Shakhtar, Real and Borussia will all play to win their own games.”
REAL GAMBLE
Gladbach head the group on eight points, with Real and Shakhtar on seven and Inter on five.
And even if notions of the top two playing for a cautious draw had any truth, such a policy would still be a gamble for Real.
That’s because, even if they gain a point against Gladbach, they would slip to third place and out of the competition if Shakhtar draw at Inter.
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Inter beat Shakhtar 5-0 in last season’s Europa League semi-final in August but drew 0-0 in Ukraine earlier in this Champions League group.
Conte said: “They’re a really good team with a great coach.
“They have quality on the ball and good technical players, some pacy ones too.”