“It was a big loss for us” – Antonio Conte points to one key departure that caused Chelsea’s downfall this season

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has identified why Chelsea failed to win the required number of games to get into the top four and fight for the title this season, and he says it is Michael Emenalo.

Perhaps, what many pundits and experts have pointed at is the departure of Diego Costa and how that affected the Blues goal scoring in this campaign. While new signing Alvaro Morata struggled, the condemnation on Conte was how he led Costa leave the club in controversial circumstances last summer.

But the Italian blames Chelsea’s problems this season on the departure of Michael Emenalo in November. The technical director at the club ended his 10-year stay at the club in a heartbreaking moment, only weeks after Chelsea fans called for his head at the club for poor transfers.

Now Conte who was assumed to be directing his transfer frustrations as the Nigerian back when the season began has now blamed his season’s failures on the absence of the now sporting director at AS Monaco.

“To lose Michael, it was a big loss for us, yes. I think so, I think so. Also because Michael did a great job for this club for many years.

Last season he helped me a lot during the season. This season, until he left, he helped me a lot. I remember very well he left just after the Manchester United game … For me, for sure, it was a big loss in November.”

Antonio Conte, Guardian

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