Tottenham had an advantage over his side in this
season's Premier League title race.
Mauricio Pochettino's Spurs have pushed Conte's
league leaders closer than any other would-be
challengers but a surprise 1-0 loss at West Ham
on Friday moved Chelsea closer to glory.
If the Blues beat Middlesbrough on Monday at
Stamford Bridge – a result that would relegate their
opponents – and then claim three more points at
West Brom four days later, they will be champions
before Tottenham return to action against
Manchester United next Sunday.
Chelsea have been free from the distractions of
European football on account of their 10th-placed
finish in 2015-16, while Spurs endured
disappointment in both the Champions League and
the Europa League.
But, rather than seeing this as a helpful factor,
Conte believes Pochettino working for a third year
with a settled squad was a preferable position to
his own – inheriting a group of talented players at
a low ebb.
"I must be honest about this topic. I think that
Tottenham have an advantage if you compare
Tottenham to Chelsea because Mauricio Pochettino
is a really good manager and is working with his
team for a third year," the former Juventus boss
said.
"Tottenham, last season, fought to win the title and
Chelsea arrived 10th. You can see our transfer
market, and Tottenham's transfer market.
"Then, I think Tottenham, in their project, have an
advantage if you compare them to us. This is my
first season and I found a lot of situations, a lot of
players.
"Pochettino has been working there for three years
and has changed a lot of players, and is working
very well.
"In this season, if Chelsea had not performed in
this way, Tottenham would win the title without
difficulty.
"Only this great season [from Chelsea] is pushing
them to fight to win or not to win the title. But, I
repeat, Tottenham's position for me is more
advanced if you compare Tottenham's to Chelsea."
Conte expects Spurs, who Chelsea also defeated
4-2 in the semi-finals of the FA Cup last month, to
challenge again next time around, alongside
anticipated improvements from Liverpool, Arsenal
and the Manchester clubs.
However, the 47-year-old also envisages having a
squad more attuned to his own demands after an
anticipated season of transition accelerated into
one of impressive achievement.
"We have had one year to work and then the
possibility to go into the market and choose the
right players [for] my idea of football," he said of
the coming transfer window.
"I think no one person thought this season that
Chelsea could fight to win the title and could fight
to be in the final of the FA Cup.
"For sure, we are in a moment of transition. We are
losing a lot of top players who have written the
story, the history, of this club.
"This season we lost [Branislav] Ivanovic, we lost
[John Obi] Mikel and, next season, we'll have lost
John [Terry].
"Don't forget Oscar, who went in the transfer
market when we sold him."
Speculation continues that Chelsea's top scorer
Diego Costa will follow Oscar's lead in pursuing
greater riches in the Chinese Super League at the
end of this season.
After an approach from Tianjin Quanjian briefly
placed the striker and his coach at loggerheads in
January, Conte is keen for the "problem" to remain
on the backburner.
"Now it's very difficult to face this problem and I
don't want to think about this problem," he added.
"I want to focus on the present and be prepared to
face every situation and find the right solution."
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