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LONDON -- Antonio Conte brushed off Gianluca Vialli's claim that he "can't wait to leave Chelsea" and insisted that he and his players remain determined to preserve their faint hopes of Champions League qualification. Vialli, a long-time friend and former teammate of Conte at Juventus, made the comment in his role as a pundit for Sky Sport Italia during Chelsea's 3-1 defeat to Tottenham at Stamford Bridge on Sunday. Conte's future has been the subject of intense speculation since last summer amid escalating public tensions with the Chelsea hierarchy over recruitment policy, and he is widely expected to leave Stamford Bridge at the end of the season. But speaking in a news conference on Friday, Conte dismissed Vialli's words. "It is not true," he insisted. "Gianluca is a friend but I have not talked with him for one year. This is not true and it is very difficult for me this season to listen to a lot of speculation about my future. "I am reading a lot of speculation since the start of season. I am committed for this club, I have a contract here and working hard for this club, this is the truth. The other situations are not true." Conte also bristled at the suggestion that predicting the most difficult season of his coaching career back in August has affected the mood and performance of his players. "No, are you joking?" he asked. "There is only one problem for you. You have to try always [to worry] that the players have confidence, that they are sad, how do you make them happy? In this league only that seems to be the problem, the humour [mindset] of the players. "Football is another situation. There is fatigue, you have to show the desire to fight. This is ridiculous for me." Chelsea have won just six of 19 matches across all competitions in 2018, and defeat to Tottenham has left them eight points adrift of a Champions League qualification place with only seven matches to play. Conte admits that the club must now be "realistic" about their chances of getting back into Europe's elite club competition next season, but added that he and his players have an obligation to fight until a top-four finish is no longer possible. "After this type of defeat it is not simple, but everyone must show pride in this moment and not to complain or cry," he said. "This is the only way that we can do if we want to finish this season in the best way. "The gap is big, this is the truth and we know this. We must show great pride and desire, will to work for the team with the ball and without it and not only enjoy football. We must show this." Thibaut Courtois and Pedro Rodriguez could be back for Sunday's clash against West Ham at Stamford Bridge after missing the Tottenham loss due to muscle injuries, though Conte confirmed that David Luiz (knee) and Ethan Ampadu (ankle) remain long-term absentees.
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