Chelsea manager Antonio Conte sees relaxation guru and reads up on yoga: 'To play every three days is a big effort not only for my players but also for me'

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Chelsea travel to Arsenal on Wednesday with one key man suffering from exhaustion amid the current hectic schedule - but it isn’t a player.

Manager Antonio Conte has been seeing a relaxation specialist and reading up on yoga to cure the aches and pains of his exuberant touchline exertions.

So while the players push on through the fatigue at The Emirates, Conte is challenging himself to take a seat for five minutes of the game in a break from his usual jack-in-the-box style.

Manager Antonio Conte has been seeing a relaxation specialist and reading up on yoga

 Conte is challenging himself to take a seat for five minutes of the game against Arsenal 

David Luiz is Conte’s only senior player out of Wednesday’s game as he nears a return from a knee injury — but the Italian has also admitted he could let the likes of the Brazilian centre back leave this month if they want out.

Luiz has ambitions to play at the World Cup, a desire Conte says he ‘understands’ and that he would jettison any unhappy players who might upset the positive vibe in his squad.

For now though, the focus is on Arsenal and stopping a run of three games without a win against their London rivals — and Conte has been resting up in preparation.

‘I am well trained for this but, for sure, to play every three days is a big effort not only for my players but also for me,’ Conte said.

Conte's Chelsea hope to continue a run of form that has seen them win their last two games

‘When you finish the game you are a bit exhausted. I’d like, this season, to sit for five minutes, or two minutes. Maybe when I’m older then I will start to be more calm.’ He added: ‘There is a person here that we can train with him to be a bit relaxed and I’m grateful to my club to have this type of person here.

‘(I do) stretching and also at the end of the session a bit of relaxation, for 10 minutes, I think this is good. I like and am very interested in yoga too, I like to read books about these topics.’ 

Conte will not allow the transfer market to disrupt his rest, either. He has changed his phone number to dodge rogue calls and is leaving recruitment in his club’s hands after handing over a ‘wanted’ list.

Bayern Munich midfielder Arturo Vidal, a player he referred to as ‘one of the best in the world’ on Tuesday, features.

Conte admitted he could let the likes of David Luiz leave this month if they want out

Looking in the opposite direction, Conte has told any of his players that are unhappy and desperate for game-time at the World Cup that they can leave this month, providing Chelsea find a replacement.

Luiz is one of those players lacking first-team minutes of late, out of Brazil’ s squad and down the Chelsea pecking order, while Belgium striker Michy Batshuayi is another.

‘I was a player, I will understand if someone is worried about the World Cup,’ Conte said.

‘It’s very important to keep players very happy to stay here to work with us and that must be our priority.

‘I prefer to have players very happy to stay here than to have players that are unhappy because when you are unhappy you transfer this to the other players, to me, to my staff and I don't like this. If we can avoid this I’d like to avoid this situation.’