David Luiz will be in the Chelsea squad to face West Bromwich Albion this weekend, Antonio Conte has confirmed.
The Chelsea manager said the Brazilian will be considered for selection having been confined to the stands for the club’s previous fixture, a victory over Manchester United.
“David Luiz is in the squad, yes,” Conte said. “[His exclusion] was a technical decision. When it’s a technical decision every player has to react well and accept my decision. It’s normal.”
Conte refused to go into further detail. “I like to speak about the team and the next game that we have to pay attention to,” said the Italian. “This is the most important thing, not speaking about a single player. I repeat: I don’t like to speak about a single player.
Chelsea return to the venue where they claimed last season’s Premier League title on Saturday, but Conte has warned that retaining their crown will be a great challenge due to the runaway form of the current leaders, Manchester City
“It was a fantastic moment for me, for the players, for the club, for our fans,” Conte said of the 1-0 victory in May. “It was great. I remember this moment very well. I’m proud for what we did last season. But, for sure, now we have to look at the present.
“I must be honest, now Manchester City are playing very well and it’s very difficult to think that you can catch them because, if they continue in this way, it will be very difficult for any team to try and fight for the title. But, I think, the six top teams in England have to try. No?”
He added: “We have to try to fight until the end. But, for sure, it won’t be easy. If you want to try and catch them, you have to win every game. Every game. As you know very well, in this league, it’s very difficult to win every game. For example, after the international break last time, we lost against Crystal Palace. We have to remember this and understand that it’s very important we keep winning and not drop more points.”
The international break saw Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Tammy Abraham, two Chelsea youngsters currently on loan at other Premier League clubs, make their England debuts. Conte had positive words for them, comparing their progress to that of Andreas Christensen, the 21-year-old Danish defender who has broken into Chelsea’s first-team this season.
“I think we are talking about two young players, and two really good players, and for sure Ruben and Tammy will be the future for Chelsea. Now it’s right for them to play regularly. Ruben, I read his interview. He said it’s perfect to play this season regularly. It’s very important for his development, and to come back and play for Chelsea with great maturity.
It’s the same path as [Andreas] Christensen, who played for two years on loan and now he’s playing regularly for Chelsea. Now he’s a young player, but he’s a Chelsea player and an important Chelsea player.”