Antonio Conte says he would “prefer to tell the truth” about his team’s Premier League title chances, insisting his side must be realistic when it comes to trying to catch runaway leaders Manchester City.
Following Chelsea’s 3-1 triumph over Huddersfield on Tuesday night, Antonio Conte didn’t mince words — he dismissed any false hope or “hogwash” talk about the title race.
Despite their victory, the Premier League champions find themselves trailing an unbeaten Manchester City by a hefty 11 points — a gap that could widen to 14 should City secure a win against Swansea.
“I think when you tell the truth, this is the truth,” Conte stated candidly.
“Right now, we are 14 points behind Manchester City. They’ve won 15 games and drawn one, whereas in 17 games, we have already suffered four defeats.”
“Having a fierce competitor like Manchester City, who seem to be undefeated, it’s tough to believe we can still fight for the title. Thinking either positive or negative, you must be realistic.”
“I’d rather be honest than tell a comforting lie. Sometimes I might be too blunt, but I believe in speaking truthfully to my players and our supporters.”
Conte’s frank assessment came after Chelsea’s recent setback at West Ham – their fourth loss this season which casts doubt on their title defence.
“That doesn’t mean we won’t try to close the gap,” he said. “But realistically, we have to hope City stumble badly, and we must win every single game.”
“The Premier League demands you give 120% every game, or you risk dropping points with draws or losses.”
“Manchester City are on an incredible run, but our focus has to be one match at a time, securing three points each game amidst fierce competition for the title, Champions League, and Europa League spots.”
“We must look inward, improve constantly, and play this style of football I enjoy seeing from my team.”
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