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England's international in Turin is likely to be played out amid a volatile atmosphere after Italy coach Antonio Conte reportedly received death threats from angry Juventus fans over the treatment of injured midfielder Claudio Marchisio. Italy reported that Marchisio ruptured knee ligaments while warming up for a training session on the eve of Italy's Euro 2016 qualifier against Bulgaria in Sofia, though Juventus later refuted those reports. Juventus fans reacted angrily to the news that their midfielder was likely to miss the rest of the season because of the injury and Conte was criticised by John Elkann, the president of the holding company which controls the club. "Perhaps he'd like to be remembered as the cherry-picker with the highest number of injuries,'' Elkann was quoted as saying in Italian media. Some Juve supporters took their anger to an extreme by issuing death threats at their former manager, according to Carlo Tavecchio, the president of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC). He told Radio Rai on Saturday: "I saw him [Conte] shaken this morning. After yesterday's controversy, he received death threats on the internet. I met with Conte for a long time and he is not calm. "All these things have been said on social networks and he feels vilified for something that is not his fault. The FIGC stands by him.'' Conte, who played over 400 times for Juve and managed them from 2011 to 2014, defended his methods. "I wonder why Elkann didn't ask me that when I was at Juventus? We don't work hard, we work well,'' he told a news conference in Bulgaria. "[Marchisio's] injury was absurd and inexplicable. He hurt himself while warming up, running without the ball.'' Following Italy's 2-2 draw with Bulgaria on Saturday, Conte said: "I can't just let some things slide as if they didn't happen. Some things stay. They wounded me. "I just ask to be left to work in peace. I've always worked hard in my life, at times giving results, at times not. I only ask to be left to work in peace. "I was called to the Nazionale to work and just ask that I be left to work. Results can be positive or not. But underhand comments, those... I can't let those slide. I have the memory of an elephant." Given that Tuesday's friendly against England is taking place at the Juventus Stadium, Conte is likely to receive a hostile reception from supporters of the Serie A leaders.
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