Italy coach Antonio Conte said
Monday that he had worse thoughts than resigning after key
attacking midfielder Claudio Marchisio was injured last week in
training.
"You ask me if, for a moment, I thought to resign last
Friday? I had so many other thoughts, worse (than resignation),"
Conte said on the eve of an Italy-England friendly.
Marchisio was said to have snapped an anterior cruciate
ligament (ACL) in his knee Friday which would have required
reconstructive surgery.
However, later reports said the injury was less severe.
Still, the initial reports triggered a major controversy
with some fans of Juventus, Marchisio's team where Conte
formerly coached, enraged at the loss of such a key player.
John Elkann, chairman of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, which
has roots in Turin, reportedly criticized Conte for allegedly
working the players too hard in training.
BBC reported on its website that Conte even received death
threats over the Marchisio injury, quoting the president of the
Italian Football Federation (FIGC).
Juventus has since said the 29-year-old Marchisio did not
tear his ligament.
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