Coach Antonio
Conte has admitted that it will be difficult to find a replacement for Mikel
Obi, John Terry and Branislav Ivanovic.
Nigerian captain,
Mikel Obi and Serbian defender, Ivanovic left the Stanford Bridge outfit for
Chinese Super League club, Tianjin Teda and Russian top club Zenit respectively
in the January transfer window.
John Terry,
one of the clubs longest serving captain ever, will call it quit with Chelsea
at the end of the current season.
During
Friday’s conference ahead of Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final clash against
Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley Stadium, speaking to pressmen, Conte said that
rebuilding the squad following the departures of the three veterans is a cumbersome.
In his words,
“My
situation is different from Carlo Ancelotti’s first season at Chelsea as now we
are building the foundations.
“It is not
easy to find replacements for the likes of Ivanovic, Mikel and Terry. That is
why I speak of building.”
The Italian further
heaped praises on Tottenham, describing his club’s closest Premier league
rivals as one of the power houses of English football.
Hear him,
“Tottenham
are a great power in English football. It is the right moment for them to stop
feeling the underdog,” he said.
On players’
fitness, the former Juventus handler said,
“Thibaut
Courtois has recovered from his injury and he has trained this week
“This period
is not a lucky one as in training on Tuesday, Gary Cahill had a bit of fever.
“Cahill was
sent to hospital by the doctor for checks. It is not a serious problem but it
will be difficult to play tomorrow.”
Conte
commented on the death of Ugo Ehiogu,
“I will like
to send my condolences and the players to Ugo Ehiogu’s family."
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