Chelsea won this Barcelona warm-up but assessing his side’s chances at the Nou Camp on Wednesday, Antonio Conte sounded like a man getting his excuses in early.
The Italian explained that his team cannot expect to do what Juventus did to Tottenham last week because one side has considerable Champions League experience and the other does not.
Inspiring stuff from the head coach. Chelsea will give it a go but this is not what the fans flying to Barcelona want to hear, nor surely a squad who are already expecting an uphill battle.
Antonio Conte has played down his side’s chances of beating Barcelona on Wednesday
The first leg finished 1-1 so they know they have to score, just like Conte’s old club Juventus did when they travelled to Wembley.
‘Don’t forget you are talking about a team with many players with great experience,’ Conte said of the Italian side.
‘We don’t have this experience and you have to build this experience over the years. Juventus showed great resilience, they suffered a lot and in the right mind they killed Tottenham.
‘But I repeat: in the team there are many players with great experience and many players who won the Champions League in the past or played in a final of the Champions League.
Conte has claimed Chelsea can’t be expected to do what Juventus did to Tottenham
‘Experience is always important. This Chelsea team has not got great experience, not many players with great experience, because this team lost a lot of old players with great experience.
‘Now we have many players who need experience. Andreas Christensen, Tiemoue Bakayoko. We have to work as a team and try to be ready.
‘We must be prepared to suffer in this type of game, because when you play against this type of team, one of the best teams in the world, you must be prepared to suffer. It won’t be easy.’
Conte said the Italian side drew on their vast experience to sucker-punch Tottenham twice
In-form Willian got Chelsea going against Crystal Palace before Martin Kelly’s own goal made it 2-0.
Patrick van Aanholt made it uncomfortable in the 90th minute but the home side held on. At full time, the attention turned to Barcelona.
Chelsea lack elite European experience, according to Conte, yet the irony is they need to score in Spain and have a striker who won the Champions League twice with Real Madrid.
But he feels his side don’t have that experience as they are young like Tiemoue Bakayoko (R)
The trouble is, Alvaro Morata has looked nothing like a £70.6million hitman lately — more like a toddler throwing his toys out of the pram whenever he is on the pitch.
On Saturday he came on as a late substitute, was cautioned and argued with referee Anthony Taylor.
On a yellow, he then slapped the assistant’s flag out of his hand because he was frustrated Chelsea were not awarded a corner. It was risky and silly.
‘Usually I like to speak with my players face-to-face, especially if there is a situation we need to improve,’ Conte said of Morata’s temper. ‘And for sure, this is a situation we can improve with Alvaro.’
Conte seemed pessimistic despite the in-form Willian starring in the win over Crystal Palace
Barcelona avoided any hiccups on Saturday evening. They beat Malaga 2-0 in La Liga and did it without Lionel Messi, who was excused because of the birth of his third son (yet another hat-trick).
Messi will be rested and raring to go on Wednesday. Chelsea have to be the same but more ruthless. They attempted 27 shots at Stamford Bridge — their most in a Premier League game this season. Palace should have been seen off long before it became 2-1.
The plus side for Roy Hodgson is that Wilfried Zaha is back. The Eagles’ best player came on at half-time and helped turn the tide.
Palace have now lost narrowly to Tottenham, Manchester United and Chelsea in the last two weeks, but they have put up a big fight.
‘I believe in the players,’ said Hodgson. Conte’s comments may suggest a lack of belief but he knows how tough a task awaits Chelsea in Barcelona.
At the Nou Camp they will need to be more ruthless having only scored twice from 27 shots