CONTE SHOWS HE IS TO BE TRUSTED
Italian leads Chelsea into last 16 with help from referee
ANTONIO Conte is writing his own script. When Chelsea lost to Burnley on the opening day of the Premier League season, you got the impression it was the beginning of the end.
But four months later, thanks to a routine win over Qarabag last night, he has guided his team to the last 16 of the Champions League. Back among Europe’s elite, exactly where Roman Abramovich expects his expensively assembled squad to be.
Of course, lying nine points behind domestic leaders Manchester City is far from an ideal position going into December. But Chelsea’s title defence has been far from a disaster.
All in all, this is very unlike them. What happened to the second-season managerial curse? A campaign of success followed by one of failure, eventually leading to the manager’s sacking? We’ve seen the movie enough times to know the ending.
Questions continue to linger over Conte’s job security and his relationship with the real decisionmakers at Stamford Bridge. But maybe, just maybe, the Italian can become the one that sticks.
He is consistently delivering. Those above him in the food chain will do well to remember that.
Here in Baku, they were indebted to two hugely debatable penalties and the controversial sending off of Qarabag skipper Rashad Sadygov.
But Chelsea would have won this game no matter what. In the end, it was 4-0, with Eden Hazard and Cesc Fabregas spot-kicks supplementing Willian’s brace.
The big news before kick-off was the recall of David Luiz to the Chelsea starting XI, following a training ground flare-up with Conte, which saw the Brazilian miss the last two games.
Luiz was one of four changes from the side that brushed West Brom aside so emphatically on Saturday, Conte clearly keeping one eye on Saturday’s showdown against Liverpool.
He is furious his side have 24 hours less to prepare than Jurgen Klopp’s men, who played in Seville on Tuesday, and he spent the five-and-a-half-hour journey back to London planning for the game.
‘We have to work during the flight,’ said Conte (right). ‘To have only one day to rest and prepare for this big game is not easy. I also think it’s not right.
‘This group is showing great character. From the start, we faced a lot of problems this season. But despite this, our answer was almost always positive.’
Securing their place in the knockout stage, with one match remaining, at least means he can rotate his options against Atletico Madrid next month.
‘To avoid Atletico’s game becoming decisive for us is very important,’ said Conte. ‘It will be a good chance to have another rotation with my players.’
Buoyed by an exuberant home support, Qarabag started brightly and were unlucky not to take an early lead as Michel rattled the bar from close range after Chelsea’s back four parted like the Red Sea.
Five minutes later, Portuguese referee Manuel De Sousa awarded Chelsea a penalty after Willian fell in the box under pressure from Sadygov.
The home side were incensed. Television replays suggest they had a case.
But if they were livid at the penalty, imagine their fury at De Sousa when he brandished a red card.
The Qarabag skipper couldn’t believe it, putting his hands on his head.
His team-mates were taking a more proactive approach, angrily remonstrating with the official.
The injustice was all too much for the manager Gurban Gurbanov, who called all his players to the touchline for an impromptu team talk. Perhaps they were praying for a miracle as they huddled together. Not that Hazard was bothered, sending Ibrahim Sehic the wrong way to put Chelsea ahead. The Olympic Stadium fell quiet. The home crowd knew this was over as a contest. The sense of injustice made it even more difficult to swallow for the Azerbaijanis. Hazard and Luiz both went close with headers to double Chelsea’s advantage before the Blues eventually scored a second nine minutes before the break. Willian took the glory, coolly slotting past Sehic, but Hazard’s flick to set up the Brazilian was exquisite. Pedro and Hazard were thwarted by Sehic soon after the restart, but, in truth, the match was over after De Sousa’s 20th-minute intervention. Conte soon turned his attentions to Anfield, bringing off Marcos Alonso, N’Golo Kante and Hazard for Gary Cahill, Danny Drinkwater and Alvaro Morata, respectively.
The second half was dying a death until De Sousa’s third controversial ruling of the night.
Willian, jockeyed by Gara Garayev, looked to be going down a blind alley — only for De Sousa to spot the slightest of shirt pulls. The protests weren’t as vociferous this time — Qarabag players more bewildered than angry.
Fabregas, after being asked to retake his first successful effort, fired past Sehic to make it 3-0 before Willian completed the cakewalk in the 85th minute. QARABAG (4-2-3-1): Sehic; Medvedev, Sadygov, Rzezniczak, Agolli; Guerrier, Almeida, Garayev, Gurrier (Yunuszada 82), Michel, Madatov (Diniyev 45); Ndlovu (Quintana 85). Subs not used: Kanibolotskiy, Amirguliyev, Ismayilov, Sheydaev. Booked: Medvedev, Rzezniczak. Sent off: Sadygov. CHELSEA (3-4-3): Courtois; Azpilicueta, Luiz, Rudiger; Zappacosta, Fabregas, Kante (Drinkwater 75), Alonso (Cahill 58); Pedro, Hazard (Morata 65). Subs not used: Caballero, Bakayoko, Christensen, Sterling. Booked: Alonso. Man of the match: Willian. Referee: Manuel De Sousa (Portugal). Attendance: 67,100.