With Milan drawing Tottenham as opponents within the Round of 16 of the Champions League, Pioli highly-praised Conte within the media.
The two Italian tacticians are very familiar with one another as they both coached the Milanese clubs throughout Conte’s two-year reign at Inter.
In recent memory, it was Conte who got the best of Pioli as Inter dismantled the Rossonerri in a 3-0 victory, which played a huge contributing factor in helping the Nerazzurri seize the league-title for the first time in ten years.
While speaking to the media, as relayed by Tuttomercatoweb, Pioli provided his perspective on Conte ahead of the knockout rounds:
He is a great coach, he has won a lot and a little everywhere. He is able to give a clear identity to his team, a tidy and compact opponent awaits us but with very important individualities and with many players who also know Milan well. It will be one fascinating challenge, balanced on paper but it will be up to us to be at that level there.”
