HAZARD-FREE! WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG?
CONTE: NO ONE GETS THE BLUES AT BRIDGE Pellegrino has ‘no plans’ to deal with one of the most dangerous players in Europe
ANTONIO CONTE insists his Chelsea squad should be happy at Stamford Bridge – even if they are not in the starting line-up.
Brazilians David Luiz and Willian (above) have both become frustrated at their limited opportunities.
Conte’s relationship with Luiz is under particular scrutiny with the centreback appearing just once since October’s Champions League defeat by Roma, before picking up a knee problem three weeks ago.
The Chelsea boss spoke with Luiz this week and yesterday admitted he did not know when the defender would return.
But the Italian warned that Luiz faces stiff competition from Andreas Christensen when he is fit.
He said: “Every player must be very happy not to play for Chelsea, but to stay in the squad for Chelsea. It means you stay in a big team, a great team.
“It’s normal when in a great team there is a lot of competition. The coach can decide only for 11 players.
“I don’t like it when I’m asked if one player is not happy or if I have to find something to make him happy because I think we must be happy.
“We earn a lot of money. We must be very happy whether we play or not.”
Conte revealed Luiz is currently training alone and only doing light work. But he denied he was overstating Luiz’s injury.
He added: “If someone thinks I’m not telling the truth I’m disappointed, but I can understand it.
“I’d like to tell you a bad truth rather than a good lie. David has a big inflammation in his knee.”
SOUTHAMPTON manager Mauricio Pellegrino says he will not be making any special plans to deal with Chelsea maestro Eden Hazard today.
Saints travel to Stamford Bridge having won only one of their last eight games and fresh from being battered 4-1 by former boss Claude Puel’s Leicester in midweek.
Stopping Hazard has been the key to getting the better of the champions this season, but Pellegrino said: “We don’t do something special when we play against important players. We try to defend him in zones.
“If you do man-to-man marking, this type of player can move in different places and it will be difficult for us.
“We have to be really focused and don’t let him receive the ball too much where he is dangerous – but the most important thing is to think about us first of all.
“For us it is a good opportunity. The last few games against the biggest teams in the Premier League we have played well.
“Chelsea are a team that don’t need to dominate you too much to be dangerous because on the counter- attack they have players who create. They have players who can run 30 or 40 metres with the ball like Willian, Pedro, even the fullbacks and Morata (inset, below).
“They are a side that is comfortable when they are deep in different situations.”
Saints’ worrying run of form means they are only four points above the relegation zone.
With the trip to Chelsea followed by visits to Tottenham and Manchester United, Pellegrino knows his side could find themselves scraping around in the bottom three by the end of the festive period. The Argentine (right) added: “We are thinking about trying to improve this. “Southampton finished six points above relegation last season and there are a big group of teams involved. It is very tight, you cannot be relaxed. “My pressure is intrinsic with my job. And my job is to try to achieve good results and play good football.” While Pellegrino questioned the attitude of his players after their Leicester mauling, defender Maya Yoshida has warned his team-mates they have to prove they are up for the fight. Yoshida said: “I could not guess it would be like that before the game. “It will be really difficult again, but we knew we have difficult fixtures. It is not about the tactical or physical but more about mentality and basic things. We have to show our spirit.”