Antonio Conte: History repeating itself at Chelsea

There have been regular reports of friction between head coach Conte and the Chelsea hierarchy, mostly over transfers.

And the Italian, speaking ahead of tomorrow’s FA Cup fourth-round tie with one-time Chelsea interim boss Rafael Benitez’s Newcastle, did little to diffuse the situation when given the opportunity to subdue the speculation.

“I continue to work very hard for this club, for the players, for our fans,” said Conte, who led to Chelsea to the 2016-17 Premier League title after the prior season’s implosion under Jose Mourinho.