Chelsea can be best Euro hope
RECLINING in his chair during preseason in Singapore, Antonio Conte impudently warned that Chelsea cannot afford a ‘Mourinho season’.
It was a snarky and inflammatory comment, designed to force his employer’s hand over new transfers and irritate his sparring partner Jose Mourinho.
Conte’s point was transparent. He refuses to be another fall guy, another manager who wins the league and then exits through the back door after a follow-up season of disappointment.
In Conte’s world, success must be repeated, not sullied by failure. So he will not go the way of Mourinho two years ago at Chelsea, or Claudio Ranieri at Leicester, or Roberto Mancini at Manchester City.
After this victory, sealed with ruthless efficiency, the only ‘Mourinho season’ he should now have in mind is the 2005- 06 campaign where the Portuguese coach became the first and only Chelsea manager to successfully defend the top-flight title.
Indeed, when you studied the bench to see £ 160million of talent from a late transfer splurge, the sense grew that Chelsea now have the depth to contend across the competitions.
Make no mistake, the flames of resentment that burned so vividly during the summer months have now been hosed down and as Chelsea return to Europe’s elite competition this week, Conte’s side are the one English club that the continent should fear.
With £58m striker Alvaro Morata firing, Eden Hazard now fit and Conte focusing his energy on his team rather than the board, Chelsea are a threat once more.
The only downside for Chelsea came from their fans, whose ditty to serenade Morata includes an anti-Semitic reference to Tottenham supporters. The FA have asked for observations before deciding on any action. Chelsea pledged to ban convicted fans.
Morata headed Chelsea in front before former Leicester midfielder N’Golo Kante doubled the lead. Jamie Vardy made it a contest late on after winning and converting a penalty.
Hazard insists Chelsea can now make an impact in the Champions League. ‘I think now it is time to win this,’ he said.
SUPER STAT: N’Golo Kante has now scored as many PL goals at the King Power Stadium for Chelsea as he did as a Leicester player (1).
LEICESTER CITY (4-4-2): Schmeichel 5.5; Simpson 6, Morgan 5, Maguire 6, Fuchs 5.5; Mahrez 6, Ndidi 6, James 5.5 (Iheanacho 78min), Albrighton 5 (King 45, 6); Slimani 4 (Gray 45, 7), Vardy 7.
Subs not used: Hamer, Chilwell, Amartey, Ulloa. Scorer: Vardy 62 pen. Booked: Ndidi. Manager: Craig Shakespeare 5.5. CHELSEA (3-4-2-1): Courtois 6; Azpilicueta 6.5, Luiz 6, Rudiger 6; Moses 6 (Zappacosta 74, 6), Kante 7.5, Bakayoko 6.5, Alonso 6.5; Pedro 5.5 (Willian 63, 6), Fabregas 6 (Hazard 78); MORATA 8. Subs not used: Caballero, Christensen, Drinkwater, Batshuayi. Scorers: Morata 41, Kante 50. Booked: None. Manager: Antonio Conte 7. Referee: Lee Mason 7. Attendance: 30,923.