Rapid Vienna 2-0 Chelsea: Antonio Conte loses first game

“All together we are working to improve the squad”.

He said: “I do believe there are winners in football and it’s not everyone that has that within them”. Their priority is Alvaro Morata, recently bought back from Juventus by Real Madrid, but it remains unclear whether Real want to keep or sell him.

“I am so happy to have signed for one of the biggest clubs in Europe”.

And when quizzed over his Godfather tag, he laughed before admitting life in his dressing rooms can get pretty volatile.

Antonio Conte plans to infuse Chelsea’s players with the same passion he shows on the touchline and turn the atmosphere at Stamford Bridge from a “small flame” to a “blazing inferno”. “I always give education and respect – but I demand the same”. Between great teams, between great players. these are the most important things. It’s important for us to recover Hazard in the best condition: technique, tactical, physical, overall and with the good mentality. So for this reason the situation excites me. “I think it was a bit normal to meet these difficulties in the game, but I don’t like to lose and it’s the same for my players”.

“In these two days I saw players with the right attitude and a great will to fight for this shirt”.

Chelsea look set to play six matches in five different time zones during pre-season, with five games confirmed across Austria and the United States and a sixth being organised in Russian Federation. But he also knows Chelsea need reinforcements, and said he hopes the club will make as many as three new signings before the season starts. “We’ll work very hard because we want to come back and compete for the title until the end of the season”.

Conte hailed the signing of N’Golo Kante after the France global joined from Premier League champions Leicester City on Saturday. And also you can be a young player and an old player for me.

The Turin giants were keen to pen Cuadrado to a permanent deal but the start of Conte’s new era with Chelsea means he’s now considered as an important player at the Blues.

He added: “The pressure for me is not important”.