Conte asks for passion at Easter
Antonio Conte has demanded his players show the same passion on the pitch as he shows on the sidelines to nick Chelsea a top-four finish.
The Blues, who sit in fifth, will close the gap on fourth-placed Tottenham to two points if they can beat them at Stamford Bridge today.
But a defeat will open up an eightpoint gap that will be extremely difficult to overhaul with seven games to go.
That would leave the defending champions facing the Europa League instead of Champions League football next season.
And Conte said: “It’s important for the players to show passion and enthusiasm during the game.
“Passion is the most important thing in football. If you don’t have passion it is very difficult. When I was a player, I showed in every moment my passion.
“I wasn’t a calm player. This is an important game because if we want to have a chance to play in the Champions League next season we need to win.
“There are seven games after this. It is a derby and is vital – especially as we need to take three points.
“We must be focused but it won’t be easy because we play a very good team.”
The rivalry between Chelsea and Spurs has become more bitter after Blues players admitted they were desperate to end Tottenham’s title hopes two seasons ago.
The 2-2 draw in May that season – dubbed the Battle of the Bridge after 12 players were booked in a feisty game which ended in a brawl – saw to that.
But Conte insists his men must go into this game with the same mindset they would take into any other.
He said: “Our mentality must always be the same in every game – to try to get three points. That’s the only way if you want to reach something at the end of the season. The detail in our mind must not change.”
Conte, who is expected to leave in the summer, was asked if he could give assurances to his players that he would be at Stamford Bridge next season.
He added: “It is more simple for a player to know if in the future he can stay here.
“Our job is totally different. For us it is not sure.”
Pressed on whether or not failure to qualify for the Champions League will see him axed, he said: “I don’t know. This is not my problem. It’s a problem for the club.”