
Chelsea
manager Antonio Conte insists everything with Diego Costa is "perfect" after
their spat last month.
Striker Costa was dropped from the game against Leicester on January 14
after rowing with Conte and his coaches on the training pitch.
Costa had become unsettled after an offer from a Chinese Super League club,
but the Spain international subsequently returned in the following game and
put in a man-of-the-match performance against Hull.
And Conte has explained to Sky in Italy how he dealt with the situation, as
well as heaping praise on the likes of N'Golo Kante and Eden Hazard.
"Diego? I was clear with him, I spoke to him forcefully and he understood
me. Now everything is perfect," he said.
"Kante is unbelievable. His dependability, we know, but he has quality, too.
He even should get better in some parts. He tends to be a horizontally
moving player, but needs to learn vertically.
"He's a great kid, always helping out the other players. It was a terrific
purchase. His goal against Manchester United was wonderful.
"And Hazard? He's immensely talented. He has ability in all measures of the
game."
Conte also insists he is not identifying a single rival to the title for
"superstitious" reasons, after the Blues maintained their nine-point gap
over second-placed Tottenham over the weekend.
"There isn't one team chasing us who to me is most worrying. I won't name
one, to be superstitious," he said.
"There are still 14 matches. Are we talking about the trophy now? No.
Anything can still happen. Today City was able to win at the finish against
Swansea: I would rather they had tied. I am keeping tabs on everything,
absolutely."