Hero against Barca, but Willian is warned by Blues boss Conte that ‘he must attack AND defend’

ANTONIO CONTE bristled at the suggestion mercurial Brazilian Willian deserves to start more often for Chelsea, scoffing: “Do you think I am stupid?”

Willian shone in the 1-1 draw against Barcelona in the Champions League, at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night, smacking both posts with long-range shots, before firing the Blues ahead. But in the Premier League, he has been on the bench 13 times, as many as in the starting XI this season, and completed 90 minutes only twice as they cruised to the title with seven points to spare last year. As the current champions prepared for their top-four clash with Manchester United tomorrow, Conte hijacked the credit for Willian’s sparkling display against Barca, claiming: “I made a fantastic choice.” Conte’s mood was pricklier than a crown of thorns as he fought manfully to conceal his contempt for needlematch adversary Jose Mourinho at Fortress Cobham.

And he revealed the unpredictable 11-goal Brazilian was not a regular starter because he fails to provide enough defensive cover without the ball.

The fiery Italian hissed: “Do you think I am stupid? When I put Willian on the bench? I have to try and make the best decision for the team.

“Maybe last season we won the title, or did I forget something? Now he is playing because he deserves to play, but not because there is some regret left over from the past.

“If a player deserves to play, and shows me in training that he is on top form, and he wants to work defensively, then he plays.

“If not, stay on the bench, stay in the stands. But this does not apply just to one player, but to all the players. This is what a winning mentality is – not if one player is happy or he is unhappy because he does not play.

“He is playing now and I’m very happy with my choice. Willian deserved to start in the previous game, and he played well.

“I made a fantastic choice, and I want to take credit for that.

“Managers are only human. Mistakes are present in every person – everyone makes mistakes. I think it’s important, when you make a mistake, that you do it with an honest vision.

“If you are dishonest, and you make a bad decision, it is not a good mistake to make.

“Every day a manager has to take important decisions, sometimes strong ones – and you have to take responsibility for them.”

Chelsea will go level with United on 56 points, if they complete a third win in four meetings with Mourinho’s Red Devils.

David Luiz, Ross Barkley and Tiemoue Bakayoko will all still be missing for the Blues, and Conte added: “This is a game to try and find a place in the Champions League.

“We have just started to play a series of massive games – with Barcelona, now United, then Manchester City, and another game with Barcelona.

“My hope is to have all my players available – otherwise we are in trouble.”