Chelsea players deserved time off – Conte

Chelsea boss Antonio Conte says he gave his table-topping squad three days off this week as a reward for their performances – and to keep them fresh ahead of a busy Christmas and New Year schedule.

The Blues won their 11th Premier League game in a row by beating Crystal Palace last weekend, and were then given a short break to recovery both mentally and physically.

Thibaut Courtois, Gary Cahill and Nathaniel Chalobah were among those who posted images of their trips abroad on social media.

Diego Costa and N’Golo Kante, who are both suspended for the Boxing Day game with Bournemouth, were allowed an extra day’s rest, while injured skipper John Terry continued to train at Cobham.

Conte said the time off was designed to help the players recharge their batteries.

“I gave [them] three days off because I thought my players deserved this after a really intense period,” Comte said.

“We played three games in only six days and I thought that the best way to recover was with three days off.

“When you give three days off, you don’t know the destination of your players. But I think the most important thing is to recover, not only with your body but above all with your head.”