Conte on Salah, Liverpool’s leaky defence, Morata, Moses, Klopp’s passion and Fabregas needing a rest
Chelsea boss Antonio Conte spoke about a number of issues at a media conference ahead of Saturday’s trip to Liverpool. Here’s some of what the Italian had to say.
On Chelsea’s busy schedule
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“To get to your house at 6am [after an overnight flight from Baku] is not simple.
“Then to rest and recover [and have] only one day to prepare for a big game, I think this is not right.
“But we have to do this and today we had a good training session. We tried to prepare very well for the game against Liverpool.
“But to have only one day to rest is not right – not only for Chelsea, for all the teams.”
On a difficult arrival back in London
“It was a problem to land. There was a lot of wind. We tried to land the first time but it wasn’t possible.
“Then the captain tried again, and the second time it was possible. In these circumstances, you feel a bit afraid, a bit scared, but the captain was very good.”
On staying focused
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“This week was an intensive week for us but at the same time it’s right I don’t find alibis, or excuses, and to try to play a good game against a really strong team like Liverpool.
“For sure, this week was a strange week but at the same time we must be focused on a big game. We want to try to play well, we want to try to get a good result.”
On the dangers awaiting at Anfield
“I think Liverpool is a really good team, a strong team and they have a good coach. They have a good identity, and great organisation, especially offensively.
“They are very dangerous, we must pay great attention. Today we have worked very well to try to have a good game against Liverpool.”
On Mohamed Salah
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“I know him very well because he played in Italy for many years. Salah is a good player and is very dangerous.
“He is a technical player but at the same time he’s very fast, very strong in one-v-one and also is a very good finisher.
“We must pay great attention not only to Salah but also to [Sadio] Mane, [Roberto] Firmino, [Phillipe] Coutinho, [Daniel] Sturridge – I think they have great potential as a team.”
On Chelsea selling Salah
“It happened in the past. He was very young and now he has developed a lot.”
On his complaints about scheduling after Champions League games
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“I tried to speak with my club about this problem. This is the not the first time – we have had two same situations, [one] also before a big game against Manchester City and now against Liverpool.
“I think that they have to pay more attention and to try to give the same possibility to teams to recover in the right way, in the same way, and not to try and create problems for only one team.
“[But] we must be ready to play a big game against Liverpool. I don’t like to find an alibi or excuses and it’s the same for my players. For sure, it won’t be easy because we are facing a really good team, especially at home [where] the fans push a lot. But at the same time we have to try to do our best.”
On whether Alvaro Morata will start after being rested in midweek
“I think that we have to make the best decision game by game, to find the best solution for the team and to give the right rest to my players,.
“Don’t forget that Morata played three games in a row [one week] and in the third game against Manchester City, after 20 minutes he was injured. I have to pay great attention in all situations.”
On Liverpool’s leaky defence, shown up in Sevilla
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“You have to judge two different situations, because in the first half Liverpool scored three goals and the second half was very strange for many reasons.
“But I think Liverpool is a really good team, defensively and offensively. We must pay great attention. It won’t be easy for us. It is a big game and in a big game anything can happen.”
On his equally lively rival manager, Jurgen Klopp
“I consider him one of the best coaches in the world.
“We like to live the game with intensity, with passion, to stay on the touchline and help our players.
“It’s very difficult for us to not show this passion. For me it’s very difficult to stay seated and to watch the game.”
On the fit-again Victor Moses
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“His condition is good. For sure, he needs a bit of time to recover the best form.
“Tomorrow he is in our squad and I want to bring him on the bench and then decide if there is the necessity to put him in the side or not.
“I am very happy because now he’s fine. But he needs a bit of time to find the best physical condition.”
On the upturn in form and striking a domestic/European balance
“I think this is a good moment for us and we have to continue in this way. To have a good balance is very important for my team.
“We need to work more on this aspect because this season we have had ups and downs but now I think we are trying to find different solutions [to different problems] compared to last season.”
On Cesc Fabregas’s busy season
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“Last season, maybe he didn’t deserve to start the games but now he’s deserving to play regularly.
“At the same time I understand he needs a bit of rest because he’s playing every game. Now I have four midfielders in good form and I need to have rotation.
“If you remember, in pre-season we played only with [N’Golo] Kante and Fabregas every game because Bakayoko was recovering from his surgery and Drinkwater arrived on the last day of the transfer window.
“I’m very happy because Cesc is showing good commitment in two phases, with the ball and without the ball. When we play with the three midfielders, he’s more free offensively.”
