Conte remaining doubly cautious
Boss warns against complacency as Chelsea chases domestic pair
Chelsea manager Antonio Conte warned his team it faces a “very difficult” task to become the third two-time winner of English soccer’s league and FA Cup Double.
A 2-0 fifth-round win at Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday took Chelsea through to the FA Cup quarterfinals, and the Blues boast a healthy eight-point lead at the top of the Premier League.
Conte’s team can join Arsenal and Manchester United as second-time Double winners, although the 47-year-old continues to counsel caution.
“I think it’s a little early to talk about this, but for sure we are in these two competitions,” Conte said.
“In the league we are doing a great job to stay on top of the table. Now, in the FA Cup, we are in the quarterfinals, and I’m pleased with this because it means we’re doing very well.
“We’ re working very well, but, honestly, after this game it’s important to understand that nothing is easy,” added the Italian, who joined Chelsea last summer after a stint in charge of his country’s national team.
“If someone thinks that for sure Chelsea will become league champion, and for sure we can win the FA Cup, it will be very difficult,” he added.
“But we know that. We understand we want to stay there and we want to try to reach the end and win some trophies.
“Because when you stay at a great club then your job is this, to try to fight until the end to try to win some trophies.
“We’re in a good position now but we have to work very hard.”
The biggest crowd at Molineux for 36 years — 30,193 — saw Chelsea negotiate the tie with second-half goals from Pedro and Diego Costa.
The west Londoners, though, had to withstand a strong first-half performance from Championship struggler Wolves.
George Saville almost gave the second-tier side an early lead when he hit a post.
However, Blues pressure finally told in the 65th minute when Eden Hazard and Willian combined to tee up former Barcelona man Pedro, who headed home unmarked at the back post. And Costa made sure of Chelsea’s passage with a low 89th-minute strike, his 16th goal of the season.
‘Bow down to Lincoln’
Conte added his voice to praise for non-league Lincoln City, which produced one of the biggest FA Cup upsets of all time to beat top-flight Burnley earlier on Saturday and reach the last eight.
“We must bow down to them (Lincoln),” said Conte.
“It’s true this is a great achievement for them and also I think that’s the beauty of football. It is the FA Cup, it’s incredible.
“In Italy, it’s impossible for this to happen. It’s fantastic because it shows that football is incredible and anything can happen if you trust in your work, if you have a great will to fight and to take on the challenge.
“When you start, the challenge can be impossible, but, instead, Lincoln are now in the quarterfinals and deserve a great compliment from me, from Chelsea and from the whole country.
“It’s a fantastic story, historic, and I’m pleased to live this story with them because now we’re with Lincoln in the quarterfinals of the FA Cup. That’s fantastic.”
After seeing his team’s gallant effort fall short, Wolves boss Paul Lambert fancies Chelsea to go all the way and claim the Double.
“They’re a very, very good team with a top manager who’s played the game and knows the emotion on and off the pitch,” said Lambert.
“I think it will be a hell of a team to stop them. Without a doubt they could win the league and cup Double.
“They’re relentless. They have so many lads who didn’t even play tonight.
“I looked at the team and thought it might have been a tad weaker, but dear, oh dear.
“It’s going to be a hell of a team that stops them from winning both trophies.”