In modern times Chelsea Football Club have been virtually synonymous with the UEFA Champions League and the club are widely viewed as contenders each season. Last season saw them end their streak of 13 seasons qualifying for the World’s premier club football competition as the Blues could only manage a 10th place finish in the Premier League.
The club’s League finish last season meant that incoming manager Antonio Conte would not be able to pit his wits against the other top managers of Europe’s top clubs this campaign. Conte while obviously disappointed to not be competing in a competition which Chelsea won back in 2012 under then interim boss Roberto Di Matteo has managed to take advantage of the situation. When asked about the positives of not playing in Europe’s top competition, Conte has this to say as reported by the Evening Standard:
“We have more days to work,” said Conte.
“When you arrive you have your idea of football and I think this can be an advantage to have more days to work.
“But I prefer to play in it.”
So Chelsea’s League leading position and 8 game winning streak may be helped by their lack of European football but seeing the way totally-committed Conte has gone about managing the club from his transfer business to his tactics to his man management it is hard to believe that even if the Blues were playing in the Champions League this season they wouldn’t still be leading the League while progressing through to the business end in Europe. Since Chelsea have switched to Conte’s preferred 3-4-3 formation they have been unstoppable and they have beaten all the top clubs they have faced with ease like supposed title challengers Man United, Spurs and Man City.
Conte has connected with stars like Diego Costa and Eden Hazard and has similarly managed to get the best from previously unheralded players like Victor Moses which has signalled a return to form and the advent of an exciting brand of football at Stamford Bridge which was not always the case under recent managers.
Surely next season Antonio Conte will be managing Chelsea in the Champions League. It will almost certainly be a successful return to Europe’s premier football trophy for the Blues and it will take a brave man to bet against them going far in a competition that Conte clearly covets.