Just weeks ago, Carlo Ancelotti was warning Antonio Conte that he could struggle next season, based on the strength of his Chelsea squad, writes Darren Lewis in Singapore for The Mirror Sport.
Bayern Munich head coach Ancelotti was well placed to do so, having delivered the Double for Roman Abramovich in 2010, only to be sacked just a year later... for finishing second!
His win percentage had been the third-highest in Premier League history, behind only Jose Mourinho and Sir Alex Ferguson.
Ancelotti is a man well versed in the pressures of living up to expectations at Stamford Bridge.
He now believes Conte is in a far better position to do so, following the summer signings of defender Antonio Rudiger , Tiemoue Bakayoko in midfield and club-record buy Alvaro Morata up front.
With more likely to come — Chelsea are chasing another three signings before the August 31 deadline — confidence is rising at Stamford Bridge, with some justification.
So much so that Ancelotti smiled ruefully when asked whether his fellow Italian could follow the title with the Blues' second European Cup next season.
“I hope he doesn’t win the Champions League!” he joked.
“I cannot wish him that! But Chelsea will be very competitive in the Champions League. The team is better.
“Last year was a fantastic year for Chelsea and Antonio. He was able to change the mentality of the team and the style of play.
Everything was OK. For this reason they will be competitive in the Champions League. To win it? I don’t know. I hope not.”
Conte’s response to being asked how to prevent an Ancelotti-style second-season dip at Chelsea was a predictable one.
“I think the only way that I know is to work,” he said. “Work really hard with my players to prepare the right way for next season.
“To play in the Champions League next season is great for us and right for the club.
“The players are enthusiastic to play that competition.
We have one competition more, but we are working very well to prepare the team in the right way, to find our feet as well as possible.
“We will put ourselves fully into these four competitions next season.”
Chelsea and Bayern play each other here on Tuesday in the globe-trotting International Champions Cup pre-season tournament.
The friendly will see Ancelotti's Bundesliga champs trying to stop £58million Chelsea signing Morata, who he managed at Real Madrid.
His endorsement of the 24-year-old was emphatic.
“A fantastic young striker,” he said. “Chelsea have a really good signing. A player who can help.
“He has the ability to be better. He’s a complete striker, he can play in different positions.
He’s played central striker, sometimes on the side, in all positions with fitness.
A really good striker. He works well for the team also.”
Bayern new boy James Rodriguez, one of the men with whom Morata shared the bench at the Bernabeu, agrees.
“He’s an amazing player with an amazing shot,” said the Colombian.
“He will do very well. In his time at Real Madrid he did amazing things and I wish him very well this season.”
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