Antonio Conte has challenged Chelsea to play the perfect game and shock Champions League heavyweights Barcelona on Tuesday night.
The Spanish giants are unbeaten in La Liga this season, seven points clear of second-placed Atletico Madrid. The prolific front pairing of Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez have scored 47 goals between them.
It all makes for a hugely daunting night for Chelsea in the last-16 first leg and manager Conte said: ‘We are talking about a massive game, a big challenge against one of the best teams in the world.
‘We have to play a perfect game if we want to win.
‘In every game they are able to create many chances to score, so we must be ready to suffer without the ball, to be compact, not to lose our heads during the game, and then to try with the ball to do what we know.
‘I think we start this game as underdogs. But if you want to compete at the maximum level, you have to live with this pressure.
‘A team like Chelsea in every game must have the right pressure. We have to try to play the game with only one idea: to try and win. You have to live with the pressure. The pressure must be your friend, not your enemy.’
Meanwhile, opposing manager Ernesto Valverde believes Conte has proved himself to be one of the world’s best managers.
‘You can see the quality of his coaching in the teams he coaches,’ said the Barca boss.
‘He’s one of the best in the world with a great record, not only demonstrated at Chelsea but with Juventus and the Italian national team.’
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