BAG OF TRICKS
Blues can clinch place in last 16.. but Conte fumes at timing of Liverpool clash
LIVID Antonio Conte has slammed the Premier League for undermining Chelsea’s bid to catch Manchester City.
The Stamford Bridge boss leads his team into battle here in Baku tonight, seeking the win that will put them into the Champions League’s knockout stages. Conte is angry, however, at being forced to travel to Liverpool for a Saturday evening kick-off – after making the 2,500-mile journey from Azerbaijan back to London, arriving at 5am on Thursday. Conte has accused the Premier League and the TV companies of a lack of respect for his bid to bridge the ninepoint gap opened up by Pep Guardiola’s all-stars over his team at the top of the table. He said: “Whoever prepared the fixtures for the league must pay great attention. It’s very difficult when you ask me if my team are ready to catch Manchester City, if they put us in this type of situation. “I don’t like to find excuses or alibis, but this is the reality. Sometimes, I think it is right to give respect to our job.
“I must be honest, I’m a bit surprised because, this season, it’s the second time this has happened.
“The first time, it was against Manchester City. We played on the Wednesday away to Atletico Madrid and came back to London at 5am.
“Then we played City on the Saturday, who had played the day before us in the Champions League. Now, Liverpool are playing before us again, and we have to play against Qarabag.
“It’s a long journey, a long trip. It will be very difficult for us to recover, to rest.”
Chelsea’s 5,000-mile round trip is their longest-ever away journey in a European competition.
Qarabag are also vastly improved since being beaten 6-0 by Chelsea in September.