17 March 2023 , 22:30
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Pep Guardiola's week just got worse. First he admitted his Hollywood idol Julia Roberts snubbed Manchester City - now it transpires she once granted Antonio Conte an audience.
Blue Moon messiah Guardiola claims he would be a “failure” even if City win the Champions League this season because the Pretty Woman star chose to watch a game at Old Trafford instead of the Etihad on a visit to the UK in 2016.
But as Tottenham head coach Conte outlined his own definition of failure – winning no trophies – he admitted the responsibility for Spurs drawing another blank will fall on him. Defeat at rock-bottom Southampton will renew calls from frustrated fans for Conte to be sacked before his contract expires in June.
And he hinted that Tottenham's best hope of keeping Harry Kane beyond this summer will be to secure another top-four finish, offering the England captain another crack at Champions League football.
But first, the big story of the week: The blessed Julia, who is believed to be a Manchester United supporter, may have inadvertently administered the gravest disappointment of Guardiola's career by going to watch the Red Devils instead of City.
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Conte revealed: “Julia Roberts? She also came (to a match) when I was at Chelsea. She watched the game and then I had the possibility to show her into the dressing room. It's good that an important person like Julia Roberts likes football. I think it's important for football.”
So is Pep a failure? Conte said: “It's normal for big coaches at important clubs to try to win every competition, and we know very well for Pep – one of the most important coaches in the world – the importance of winning the Champions League after seven years with Manchester City.
Julia Roberts attended Manchester United's clash with West Ham United in 2016 (Getty Images)“During your career, sometimes failure is part of your job and it pushes you to become stronger and make yourself better. For the big coaches, the expectation is to lift a trophy. It's the same for me here, and if we don't lift a trophy the first responsibility falls on the coach. I know the expectations of myself are really high.”
The screen goddess was out of luck before her audience with Conte in November 2017. Chelsea beat United 1-0 at Stamford Bridge thanks to Alvaro Morata's winner.
Now he needs to sprinkle some stardust over the last 11 games of Spurs' season which could determine both his future and the club's prospects of hanging on to all-time record goalscorer Kane.
Back in August, Conte had warned Kane's contract needed to be sorted – but seven months later, it is mired in doubt. He shrugged: "You know very well that in this type of situation it is difficult for the coach to force the situation on one side on the other.
Antonio Conte has spoken about Harry Kane's contract situation"There is the player and the club to try to find the right solution. For sure I can tell you that every coach wants Harry Kane in his team, but it is on the player and the club, not on me.
“My evaluation, I can tell you Harry is a really important player for this team, the most representative player for this team. You know the importance that he has at this club.”
Asked if a club with Champons League aspirations should have so much uncertainty over the futures of both its head coach and best player, Conte said: “To finish in the top four could be very important for everybody - the club, the players, the manager and the fans.
"For sure if you finish in the top four many, many situations are more simple because you know that we are going to play Champions League. The best players and the best clubs want to play in these competitions. We have this idea but other clubs have the same idea. We will see what happens.”
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