Soccer: Juve penalised by ‘dangerous conditions’ says Conte
(ANSA) – Rome, December 11 – Juventus coach Antonio Conte said Wednesday that his side were penalised by dangerous playing conditions after they were turfed out of the Champions League with a 1-0 defeat at Galatasaray in their final Group B match.
The game resumed from the 31st minute on Wednesday after being abandoned on Tuesday due to a heavy fall of snow and hail.
Although the weather was slightly better on Wednesday, the pitch was extremely heavy after all the snow that landed on it and it was difficult to play. Conte said it should have been postponed.
“We have been penalised in an enormous way,” the coach said. “This elimination is unjust in my opinion. “We tried to have it postponed. We had a meeting with the UEFA delegate but no one wanted to listen to us.
“(Galatasaray coach Roberto) Mancini said it was dangerous to play and I added ‘I think so’.
“The referee made me angry. It was dangerous yesterday and not today”.
Conte admitted, however, that Juve had “complicated life” by picking up just five points in the previous five group games, meaning that qualification for the knockout round was still at stake in the last match.