+ A
A -
reuters
london
Chelsea boss Antonio Conte believes Manchester City could dominate English football for a long time after Pep Guardiola's side were crowned Premier League champions.
City won the league title last weekend with five games to go and boast a commanding 16-point lead over second-placed Manchester United.
"Manchester City is one club that can continue to dominate, to win, not only in England, but also to fight for the Champions League," Conte told reporters ahead of Chelsea's league trip to Burnley on Thursday.
"They have the possibility to do this. It is a very strong club, they have an important squad with great players and are a club that want to invest and improve. There are a lot of things that are right."
Chelsea face an uphill task to qualify for next season's Champions League as they trail fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur by eight points, even if Mauricio Pochettino's side have played a game more.
Conte accepts the odds are stacked against his team but has urged his players to fight for a top-four spot until it's mathematically impossible.
"We have to try until the end to reach this target," the Italian manager added."If we want to be realistic with five games to go, it's not simple to reduce the gap, but we must have the will to fight, the desire to take this target. Why not?
