Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has urged his side to turn their focus onto securing a top four finish in the Premier League this season after they fell to a 1-0 defeat against West Ham on Saturday.
Conte said: “We have three possibilities – to play against Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona or Besiktas. But now it is very important for us to be focused on the league, to go game by game, to try to find the right energy to play every three days and to take three points in the kind of game we had against West Ham.
“There is a problem in this league: there are six top teams and only four places for the Champions League.
“You have targets and also, if Manchester City has many points over you, you have an important target to try to go in the first four and to play Champions League.
“Don’t forget, two years ago Chelsea missed this target and last season we didn’t play European games. Last season Arsenal and Manchester United were out of these places. Then Manchester United won the Europa League, otherwise they were out [of the Champions League] and also Arsenal, for the first time in 19 years.
“To reach this target is not simple. It’s very important for me, the players, for all of us. This league is not simple to reach the top four positions.”
The result marked the reigning Champions fourth defeat of this season as Marko Arnautovic’s sixth minute strike sealed three points for David Moyes struggling side.
On a disappointing note, three out of four of the losses that Chelsea have come against so-called lower sides.
They have tasted defeat at the hands of Burnley, Crystal Palace, Manchester City and now West Ham.
