Carlo Ancelotti says it will be ‘difficult’ for Chelsea to win the Premier League this season
But ex-Blues boss insists fellow-Italian Antonio Conte 'has a lot of opportunity to do well at this club'
CARLO ANCELOTTI insists it will be "difficult" for Chelsea to win the Premier League this season.
The former Blues boss, who landed them the title in 2009-10 along with the FA Cup, says new boss Antonio Conte might be better off sticking to long-term goals rather than worrying about winning the championship this season.
Ancelotti, currently in charge at Bayern Munich, said: "'I think it depends what is the goal of the club.
"If the goal of the club is to win the Premier League, it will be difficult.
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"But if the goal of the club is to build a new group, to build a new idea of football, to build a new strategy, I think that Conte has a lot of opportunity to do well at this club.
"Every manager needs time - but I don't think we have a lot of time."
Ancelotti finished with a record of 67 wins, 20 draws and 22 losses in 109 matches at Chelsea. His win percentage is the third-highest in Premier League history, behind only Jose Mourinho and Sir Alex Ferguson.
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Three Champions League victories with AC Milan (twice) and Real Madrid put him alongside Bob Paisley as the greatest manager in that competition.
His affection for Chelsea remains undiminished and he wishes fellow Italian Conte, his captain at Juventus, well.
"He was so professional and I think he is the same as a manager. I don't know him really well as a manager but I know his character and his personality and he is really focused on his job and I'm sure in the end he's going to do a good job at Chelsea."
Ancelotti himself could well have returned to the Premier League as Ferguson's successor at United. But he'd already spoken to Real and went to the Bernabeu instead."