Antonio Conte & Inter are at a Crossroads - But They Must Stick Together to Fulfil Their Destiny

No sooner had the runners-up medal been placed around Antonio Conte's neck, than had he whipped it off again in disdain. Friday evening saw Internazionale fall to a dramatic 3-2 defeat to Sevilla in an entertaining Europa League final, a result which meant the Italian coach finished his debut campaign in Milan without a trophy to his name.

That doesn't happen so often to old Antonio. His Juventus side of 2011-12 strolled to the Serie A title in his first season at the club, finishing the campaign unbeaten in the process. At Chelsea, he achieved similar heroics in his maiden Premier League voyage, helping the Blues romp to 93 points, seven clear of second-place Tottenham Hotspur.

So, his appointment at Inter in the summer of 2019 must have sent shivers down the spine of every Juventus supporter. The serial winner was now leading the enemy on a march to end I Bianconeri's Serie A monopoly. I Nerazzurri were ready to paint Italy black and blue.

Unfortunately, the 2019/20 campaign has not quite gone to plan for this newly-established power couple. Inter finished the season as runners-up in Serie A, missing out on glory by only a point (although Juve had originally built up a seven-point buffer over their rivals by the time they crossed the line).

The Europa League was Conte's final shot to lift some silverware, but canny operators Sevilla proved to possess too much knowledge and street smarts in this very specific big occasion. A tale of so close, yet so far, then.

But behind the cold, hard facts lie definite signs of progress. I Nerazzurri have closed the gap -both mathematically and in terms of quality - on Juve at the top of the Italian food chain, proven they have the credentials to go deep in Europe, and are spending money on the right areas of an ever-improving squad.

Yet, there remains trouble at San Siro. Conte's rallying post-match battle cry was instead replaced by an awkward and ominous foreshadowing of things to come. The ex-Italy coach was conflicted in his thoughts, suggesting that he may need to prioritise his family over football, after he infamously received a bullet in the post earlier in the season.

He also stated that he could not physically or emotionally endure another year as difficult as the outgoing campaign. All signs point to the exit door, it seems.

What a shame it would be, though. Conte may not have toppled Juventus from their perch, nor thrown the European monkey off his back, but there can be no doubts that he has revolutionised a club constantly teetering on the edge of progress.

Luciano Spalletti was the man responsible for bringing Champions League football back to San Siro, but he did so by securing a top-four finish on the final day of the season in both his campaigns in charge. It was a step in the right direction, but the ground was quickly disappearing from beneath their feet. A giant leap was needed.

Under Conte, Inter are cemented in that elite cluster, and they will certainly become part of the Champions League furniture with their leader at the helm. The signing of Real Madrid's Achraf Hakimi is tailor-made for their coach's specific 3-5-2 set-up, and the imminent arrival of Sandro Tonali would add another star to this crop of young, dynamic Italian midfielders.

He has built some special relationships with his players, aiding Romelu Lukaku to rediscover his former self - and he looks to have even taken the Belgian striker's game to new levels, too. Alexis Sanchez is reborn under his demanding boss, while the aforementioned Tonali is believed to be desperate to learn by his side.

Main title rivals Juve have pushed the re-set button on their regeneration for a second time in as many years, and Conte must fancy his chances against an inexperienced and unproven Andrea Pirlo in a battle of wits. The cards are stacked in Inter's favour for next year, and the smart money would be on I Nerazzurri stopping the Turin giants from reaching the hotly-anticipated tenth consecutive title.

But it all hinges on Conte. Inter president Steven Zhang said they will 'move forward' after the Europa League heartbreak, but whether that will be with a new man in charge remains to be seen. The Inter hierarchy know they are on the verge of reinstating their place among Serie A royalty, not only in name, but in league position and trophies, too.

Conte will meet with the club's owners next week to decide his fate - if his mind is not already made up. Without their fiery, unpredictable loose cannon hammering the path to victory, those dreams may disappear quicker than a silver medal around a serial winner's neck.