Football
ESPN staff 8y

Antonio Conte targets Champions League return with new club Chelsea

New Chelsea boss Antonio Conte has vowed that his team will fight for the Premier League title as he aims to bring Champions League football back to Stamford Bridge.

The Italian coach began work with the English giants after guiding Italy to the Euro 2016 quarterfinals and has already stamped his authority, insisting his players must be willing to work hard and help the club back to the top.

"We come after a bad season, after a 10th-place [finish] and we need to come back very soon in the right position because Chelsea is a great team in England and in the world," he said.

"We must come back to fight for the title."

Conte has already added Leicester City's French midfielder N'Golo Kante and Belgium forward Michy Batshuayi to his squad in the off-season, and will be targeting a return to the Champions League in his first season in charge.

"I want our fans to be very proud about the players and the manager, it's very important," he added.

"Usually when there are these bad seasons it means there are many problems but the past is not important for me, for the club, for the players.

"What is important is the present, we have to fight together to come back and fight for the title. It's important to stay together and overcome this bad period for Chelsea, to come back to play the Champions League, because it's Chelsea's home."

Chelsea kick off their 2016-17 league campaign with a home game on Aug. 16 against London rivals West Ham United.

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