Chelsea Boss Antonio Conte Switches Focus to Key Champions League Tie After Thrashing Stoke City 4-0

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has immediately turned his focus to his side's pivotal Champions League match against Atlético Madrid, sparing little time for expressing joy at his side's 4-0 Premier League thrashing of Stoke City on Saturday afternoon. The Blues outclassed their opposition, with star striker Álvaro Morata scoring a superb hat-trick for his side.

Speaking after the emphatic victory, via Sky Sports News, Conte expressed his happiness with what he argued was a hard-fought win, given the difficulty the club's fellow title-challengers had faced on their travels to the bet365 Stadium so far this season. Conte stated:

"It wasn't easy despite the 4-0 result."We must be pleased and satisfied to win away against Stoke because they are a strong team at home. Now it's important to rest well and prepare for another game against Atletico Madrid.

"We took our chances but it's normal to come here and suffer. Arsenal lost here, Manchester United drew but we won and we deserved to win. In the second half we scored twice and made more chances to improve the result, but it wasn't easy. "We are in good shape. We are rotating and the answer from my players is positive."

Conte also found time to praise the hat-trick hero Morata, who put Stoke City's makeshift defence to the sword with three clinical finishes. The 24-year old has scored six goals in six Premier League matches for his new club, and has also contributed two assists. Praising the Spanish forward, Conte stated:

"It was a really good performance from Alvaro. It means we have created chances for the striker to score, it happened last season, and it will happen again this season."

The Blues ran out comfortable winners against the Potters, largely thanks to Morata scoring within the first two minutes to give his side a huge psychological boost. 

Pedro scored a stunning effort to take Conte's team into the break 2-0 up, before Morata completed his hat-trick in the second half with a cheeky chip and then a clinical finish from a flowing team move.