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Antonio Conte

LONDON . — Antonio Conte believes his decision to rest several of Chelsea stars for their Champions League soccer demolition of Qarabag will be rewarded when the Blues face Arsenal on Sunday.

Conte said on Tuesday that he wanted his players to fight for their places as they compete domestically and in Europe in a packed schedule this season.The Premier League champions returned to Champions League action against Qarabag after failing to qualify last season and Italian Conte used several second-string players as he rotated his squad and allowed them to show their worth.

Conte left out David Luiz, Antonio Rudiger, Victor Moses and Alvaro Morata for Tuesday night’s 6-0 thumping of the Azerbaijan minnows at Stamford Bridge.

With those key players kept fresh and Eden Hazard coming off the bench for only his second appearance since close-season ankle surgery, Conte is confident Chelsea will go into their London derby in good condition to claim three valuable points. — AFP