Antonio Conte is confident Chelsea have banished their fears after Friday night’s win over Hull City gave them the flawless preparation for facing Barcelona next week.
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Antonio Conte made seven changes to the side that put three past West Brom on Monday night, whilst Hull City manager Nigel Adkins, was forced to make seven changes due to injury problems throughout his squad and with three Chelsea loanees ineligible to play.
“But, at the same time. It’s been unusual, but we just have to build on the clean sheets we have got recently and try and win more games”.
But he ended that wait at Stamford Bridge, stabbing home from close range after good play by fellow new arrival Emerson Palmieri, completing the scoring just before half-time in an easy win that books the Blues’ place in the quarter-finals. “That has gradually boosted me as a player as well”. “We had one against Norwich, but I hope to try and win this game and go through without a replay”. This was the flawless way for Chelsea to end the week before starting their preparations for the huge Champions League game against Barcelona. “We have to work and win games”.
After the Barca game, Chelsea face Manchester United and Manchester City in the league and Conte said the confidence was back after a sticky patch. If we were lucky to play on Friday, we were very unlucky to have this schedule between the two Barcelona games.
“We must be pleased”.
Progressing to the next round of the tournament was important for Conte’s side, but they also needed to be in shape for these huge games with league rivals and a respectable performance needed in Europe. “It was great for us”, Conte told BT Sport.
The reigning Premier League champions were also beaten convincingly by Bournemouth and Watford in the league games earlier this month, which increased the weight of the speculations that Conte could be on his way out of the club. “I say to the players, ‘Enjoy every training session, enjoy being involved, do the best you can and learn the lessons from it”.
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A ideal night for Chelsea was rounded off by Giroud bagging his first goal for the club following a deadline day move from Arsenal last month. Seeing him in different colours and not on the same team as me was weird, but it was good to challenge myself up against him. “But we gave the ball away far too cheaply and allowed class players to hurt us big time”.
