Chelsea need time to fight in Champions League

London, Aug 19 (IANS)   English Premier League (EPL) title holders will need time to be competitive in European Champions League football, Chelsea coach Antonio Conte said.

Chelsea will play in the Champions League after a gap of one season as they had failed to qualify for the 2016-17 campaign having finished the 2015-16 EPL season in the 10th position.

"I think we need time. We need time. Yeah, maybe. Maybe. To arrive and try to fight for Champions League, to try to fight to be the best in the world, you need time," Conte was quoted as saying by the Independent on Friday.

The Italian, who still has two years of contract left to serve with the London club, admitted he can extend his contract if the club matches the vision he has.

"But I have still two years. This season and next season to work with this club. Then if we stay very well and we have the same vision, we continue. I don't see any problems about the future. Now we have two years left, but if we have the same vision we can continue to work together," the 48-year-old said. 

The former Juventus and Italy chief coach felt that the London club needs to stay together and improvise after starting the 2017-18 EPL campaign on a 2-3 losing note against Burnley F.C.

"To fight to win the title, to try to win. Last season we did a fantastic job because there wasn't this foundation or basis. Last season we started to build this foundation and we won. So it means we built something. But now it's not enough, so we have to improve, to extend this basis, work together with new players," Conte said.

Chelsea will clash with Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday in the London derby.