02 August,2016 08:32 AM IST | | PA Sport
Antonio Conte aims to take advantage of Chelsea's Champions League absence to sharpen their Premier League title challenge
Antonio Conte
London: Antonio Conte aims to take advantage of Chelsea's Champions League absence to sharpen their Premier League title challenge.
Antonio Conte
The Blues finished 10th last term, a hugely disappointing campaign that cost Jose Mourinho his job in December and represented a lacklustre and unsuccessful title defence. Guus Hiddink steadied the ship with a calm caretaker stint, allowing Chelsea to recruit Conte on completion of his Euro duties managing Italy.
Conte exploited Juventus' lack of Champions League football to swipe the Serie A title in his first season managing the Italian giants in 2011-12, and is already eyeing a repeat in west London.
"Not playing in the Champions League could be an opportunity because I will be able to work more with my players," Conte told the Evening Standard. "If you ask me if I prefer this situation, I don't because Chelsea must be in this competition.
"But because we are not, I will have a whole week to train with my players and that gives me a chance to work with them more compared to Chelsea managers in previous seasons."
