But Blues boss is failing the smile test
IT IS one of the great duels of the modern European game.
The Champions League last-16 draw has pitted Chelsea against Barcelona. That evokes memories of classics past, the possibilities of what lies ahead and the chance for the manager of the English champions to outwit the giants from Spain.
Bring on February, it cannot come soon enough.
Except, this is Antonio Conte 2017-18. It was not like this last season.
Twelve months ago, Chelsea manager Conte was happy, bubbly and all too keen to crack a smile and a joke, even in his broken English.
Now the Italian is down in the dumps and he looked like a man who had not slept since Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at West Ham.
When pressed on his subdued manner, he said: “I’m not happy because we lost the last game.”
There was clearly more to it than that. A lack of summer signings and his squad’s failure to handle playing two games in a week because of the Champions League have left Conte looking defeated.
His demeanour yesterday at Chelsea’s training ground in Cobham did little to suggest that he really believes his side can beat Barcelona in the last-16 knockout stages.
In comments that appear to have been directed at Michael Emenalo, who left as the club’s technical director last month, Conte was keen to ensure he was not blamed for the small squad.
But his suggestion that a tour of Singapore and China last summer have impacted on his players’ physical levels will surely not please his bosses.
Except he does at least have a passionate personality and a desire never to give in despite his problems.
“We have to find the solution,” said Conte.
“We have to find more rotations. I’m doing this, we will try to do our best with hunger and desire. We will fight. But we have to give 120 per cent.”
Not surprisingly, Conte was reluctant to talk about the best clash with the European giants. Instead his priority is Huddersfield away tonight in a tricky Premier League match.
But what a prospect lies ahead, with Chelsea knowing what the outcome was the last time the sides met in the competition in the semi-final in 2012.
Chelsea, under the managership of Roberto Di Matteo, won the home leg 1-0 but found themselves 2-0 down in the Nou Camp and with only 10 men after John Terry was sent off. But then goals from Ramires and a memorable last-minute strike from Fernando Torres sent Chelsea through – and they went on to lift the trophy.
At the first knockout stage of the competition seven years earlier, then manager Jose Mourinho was described as “an enemy of football” by a senior UEFA official for accusing referee Anders Frisk of being influenced by opposite number Frank Rijkaard as Chelsea lost 2-1 away in the first leg.
But they then won a sensational return 4-2 to go through, a game memorable for Ronaldinho’s amazing goal.
Conte said: “Our reaction must be positive. You must be ready to face everything and in this case you must be ready to face Barcelona.
“The past is the past. Now is the present and it is another story. It is totally