Cesc Fabregas admits Chelsea ARE struggling to compete on all fronts after Champions League thrashing at the hands of Roma
The Spanish midfielder says that playing in Europe's elite competition means less time on the training pitch - and it's hurting them
CESC FABREGAS has revealed the Chelsea players are struggling to cope with the demands of Champions League football.
The Blues romped to the Premier League title last season but did not have to negotiate European football, giving them maximum time on the training ground.
And after Chelsea were humiliated 3-0 in Rome on Tuesday, boss Antonio Conte conceded they are paying for being unable to work on their tactical approach.
The Italian is now under huge pressure at Stamford Bridge following their capitulation to Roma and a stuttering start to their title defence.
And Fabregas, 30, admitted they are finding life far more difficult this time around.
He said: “We know that it’s tough being involved in the Champions League.
“Last year we had the whole week to train in Conte’s methods and with the fitness coaches.
“His mentality is very Italian; we have to run and be fit and recover well.
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“But this year we are not having that much time because if you play on a Wednesday and a Saturday, what do you do on Thursday? Run? It’s impossible.
“You need to do recovery for the weekend.”
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Fabregas also maintains he is still close with former manager Jose Mourinho – despite being accused of leading a players’ revolt ending in the Special One’s demise at Chelsea.
After winning the title in 2014/15 under the current Manchester United boss, Mourinho was axed after nine losses from 16 league games the following season.
Fabregas added: “My relationship is still good with him, we still talk.
“He’s probably the manager that I had the best feeling, the best connection with, apart from Arsene Wenger.
"The one I keep in most contact with is Jose.
“I still wonder why it went so wrong because it was such a shame, it still bothers me sometimes.
“As a fan I could think that these guys aren’t even trying, that they just forgot to play.
“It happened though and we feel bad for him.”
The Spanish midfielder also admitted there were serious problems behind the scenes at Arsenal which led to him leaving for Barcelona in 2011.
He said: “It wasn’t easy because Arsenal had given me basically everything and you feel sometimes that you let them down a little bit because they trusted me so much.
“But I was there for eight years and I gave everything I had for the club.
“And I saw different things that maybe I wasn’t happy with.
“Arsene knows them all as I have explained them to him, and I felt it was the time to change and have a new motivation.”
Cesc Fabregas was speaking on last night's BBC Premier League Show, which is available on the iPlayer.
