Conte laughs at suggestion of points deduction

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has laughed off the suggestion that his side could be deducted points for their part in the melee at the end of the game against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium last weekend.

Chelsea won the game 3-1 to take a decisive advantage over their rivals in the race for the Premier League title but the game was marred by a major scuffle between players from both clubs which resulted in City’s Sergio Aguero and Fernandinho being sent off.

The melee was started following a poor tackle on Chelsea’s David Luiz by Aguero which left the Brazilian international on the floor clutching his knee. Aguero received a straight red card for his actions and was quickly followed down the tunnel by Fernandinho for throwing Cesc Fabregas over a barrier.

Both clubs were charged with failing to control their players and, as it is Chelsea’s sixth such charge in the last 19 months, it has been suggested that they may face the possibility of a points deduction, the first side to do so since Manchester United and Arsenal back in 1990.

However, Conte dismissed the idea out of hand, saying that it would be wrong to punish his team when they clearly had done nothing wrong.

"Are you joking? Are you joking?" he asked.

"For me, if you are involved in a situation and the fault is not your one, you must pay? Why? I don't understand this.

"Manchester City and Chelsea, at the end of the game, my players tried to keep their calm. I don't understand this. I repeat, I don't understand this.

"We are trying to improve in all aspects, also (in) this (area). For this reason, I reply: you must be joking. You must be honest and understand which team is at fault.

"We had a bad record in the past, but now we are different.

"I think that, in every game, you fight a lot during 90 minutes and, when the referee whistles at the end, it's important to finish.

"I don't know what happened in the past. I know what happened in the present.

"For this reason, I ask if you are joking or not. After the game between City and Chelsea, you could see very clearly that my players tried to keep their calm."

Image: Getty/Alex Pantling

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