Chelsea manager Antonio Conte still haunted by Juventus slip-up

Antonio Conte has admitted he is still haunted by the six sleepless nights his title collapse with Juventus cost him as he refuses to take anything for granted with Premier League leaders Chelsea.

Chelsea hold an eight-point advantage going into Saturday’s game against relegation-threatened Swansea City, with Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho already declaring his former club champions.

But head coach Conte is refusing to get carried away with Chelsea’s position and revealed that the pain he felt after losing a big lead as a player is keeping his feet on the ground.

Juventus were well clear at the top of Serie A in the 1999/2000 season, when Conte was captain, only to lose four of the last eight games and surrender a nine-point lead to hand the title to Lazio on the final day.

Losing out ... Antonio’s heartbreaks

“In my experience as a footballer I have had two experiences, one good, another bad against Lazio,” said Conte. “When Lazio in the last six or seven games recovered seven or eight points and we lost the title in the last game against Perugia, I was captain and remember very well.

“After this game, I had to go to the Euros with the national team and I didn't sleep for six days because it was a shock for me to lose the title.”

Conte also knows what it is like to chase down an opponent with a big lead and still believes Chelsea need another 32 points to be sure of becoming champions.

“In another situation, I won the title to recover eight points,” said Conte. “We won against Udinese and Inter lost against Lazio. I have experienced this and I continue to repeat there are 13 games, there are 39 points.

“There is a long time before we can say we can win the title and we must be focused and go step by step, and now I am sure to win the title we must take 32 points.”

Claudio Ranieri’s dismissal meant four of the last five managers to win the Premier League title have been sacked in the following season, but Conte insists that pressure on his position is nothing new.

Conte, who has been sacked once in his career by Arezzo, said: “In my career it happened only once in Arezzo because in Atlanta I decided to leave.

Where does Leicester sacking Claudio Ranieri rank in footballs harshest dismissals?

“For me it was traumatic because it was the first experience, but in that period that I stayed outside I tried to go to see the work of the other managers to study new ideas.

“In Italy, we are used to being sacked and live with this situation, and it is not easy. But you are stronger because you try with all your strength to put 120 per cent because you know your life could be very short.

“Now I see in England it is increasing these situations [sackings] in the Premier League and also in the Championship I see a lot of managers are sacked. This is our job and the risk of our job. We know this and we must work very hard to have good results, to try to keep our job. But, for sure, our job is a job with great risk.”

Asked if he feared for his own job if Chelsea go on to win the title, Conte added: “I am happy, very happy to take this risk if it means we won the league.”