Serie A title easier to defend than Premier Leagues: Conte

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Antonio Conte has admitted that retaining the title is much easier in Italy
The odds are stacked against Conte to retain the Premier League with Chelsea
Conte won three consecutive titles with Juventus, in an arguably inferior league

Published: 06:31 EDT, 2 October 2017 | Updated: 07:19 EDT, 2 October 2017

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Chelsea manager Antonio Conte believes that retaining the league title is an easier task in Italy than it is in the English Premier League, due to the transfer policies of the leading clubs.

Conte won the second of his three consecutive Serie A titles at Juventus in 2013 after rivals AC Milan sold forwards Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Alexandre Pato and defender Thiago Silva. Napoli had off-loaded winger Ezequiel Lavezzi in the previous transfer window.

After Chelsea won the league last season their main rivals, Tottenham, Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal, made significant investment in their squads.

Antonio Conte has admitted it is much harder retaining a Premier League title than any other

Conte won three consecutive Italian titles with Juventus and enjoyed a lasting dominant spell

'It is very difficult for every team in this league. To defend, it is very difficult to win two titles in a row,' Conte said.

'We won the title with Juventus and I was expecting a really strong challenge from AC Milan, but instead they sold Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Thiago Silva to Paris St Germain, so they became weaker. It wasn't simple second time, but it was easier.

'Here, from last season to this season, you have big teams and now they are bigger... And now after I think a great transfer market, they have improved a lot. It's not simple to play this league.'

He won the major honour in his first season with the Blues, but admits retaining it is tough

Conte watched on over the weekend as his side were defeated by title rivals Manchester City

City and United splashed out in the last transfer window and the two Manchester clubs lead the league table on 19 points from seven games, followed by Tottenham in third.

Chelsea dropped to fourth, six points behind the leaders, after losing 1-0 to City on Saturday and the defeat was compounded by a muscle injury to striker Alvaro Morata.

Conte's team travel to basement side Crystal Palace, who are yet to win a league game this season, on October 14.