How Antonio Conte Forced Mikel Obi Out of Chelsea for Participating at Rio Olympics
- Mikel Obi once recounted Antonio Conte forced him out of Chelsea after he went on to represent Nigeria at the Rio 2016 Olympics
- The former Super Eagles captain had been at the London club for 11 years before Conte was appointed to take charge that year
- He claimed that the manager advised him against going for the Rio Olympics but said the summer games remained a dream of any player
Former Nigerian international Mikel Obi once lamented how Antonio Conte forced him out of the English Premier League club Chelsea.
Mikel spent 11 years with the Stamford Bridge outfit, winning several titles, including two PL titles, four FA Cups, the UEFA Champions League and the Europa League.
The former Super Eagles captain worked under Antonio Conte, who arrived at the London club in 2016 after he was fired as the head coach of the Italian national team.
Source: UGC
Mikel, who had been at Chelsea since 2006, was invited as one of the overaged players to represent Nigeria's Dream Team at the Rio Olympics in 2016.
It was gathered that Conte advised the defensive midfielder against going for the summer games that year.
Mikel shunned the manager and went on to represent his nation as they won bronze in Brazil.
The decision permanently damaged his relationship with the Italian tactician, who eventually forced him out of the club.
Mikel told The Athletic:
“I had been called up by my national team to play and it was a dream. It’s a dream for anyone to go to the Olympics.
“This guy [Conte] who has just walked in the door for five minutes is telling me I had to choose.
"He was saying, ‘If you do that, you won’t be a part of this team’. I spoke to the club and told them that I wanted to go.
"So off I went and I felt punished for that. I came back and I didn’t make the squad. I was never in the squad list on matchdays again.
“When he tried to meet with me he was like, ‘Let’s try and make up, I will need you in the team, let’s squash this, blah, blah, blah!’.
“I couldn’t wait for the window to open to get out. I was talking to the hierarchy and explaining that I would definitely have to go. They agreed, they understood.”
Mikel eventually dumped Chelsea as he made a mega-money move to Chinese outfit Tianjin TEDA. He returned to England after two years to join Middlesbrough.
Conte apologises to Osimhen
YEN.com.gh earlier reported that Napoli manager Antonio Conte apologised to Victor Osimhen, who is on a season-long loan move at Galatasaray.
Osimhen was the major subject of the summer transfer window; however, all available deals for the player collapsed.
The former Lille of France striker was on the verge of joining Chelsea on the transfer deadline day, but negotiations somehow fell apart.
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Source: Legit.ng
