This archive report was first published on 18 September 2019.
Inter Milan's disappointing start to the Champions League season has sparked renewed debate about coach Antonio Conte's ability to succeed in European competition.
On September 17, 2019, Inter drew 1-1 with Slavia Prague at home, a result that has left many questioning Conte's tactics and ability to adapt to European football.
Conte, who has won three successive Serie A titles with Juventus, dismissed the idea that he is less effective in European competition, saying, "People live by cliches. As soon as someone says something on the television, everyone else starts copying it."
However, his team's performance against Slavia Prague suggests that Conte may struggle to adapt to the high-intensity, attacking style of European football.
Slavia Prague's close season transfer spending of around eight million euros was a fraction of Inter's spending on forward Romelu Lukaku alone, yet they were able to hold their own against the Italian side.
Conte took responsibility for his team's performance, saying, "I'm the one to blame because I didn't make the right choices before the game and I didn't correctly understand the type of match I was going to play."
Despite his experience in European competition, Conte's teams have often struggled to adapt to the demands of the Champions League, with his Juventus side eliminated in the quarter-final and group stage in his two European campaigns, and his Chelsea side knocked out in the round of 16.
