Chelsea manager Antonio Conte joins voices calling for English football to introduce a January break

Chelsea now begin a period where they have seven matches in 21 days in three different competitions

Antonio Conte supports a January break (Getty)

Antonio Conte has joined the voices calling for English football to introduce a January break, so that the Christmas schedule tradition is preserved, but the clubs and players get a badly needed break.

Chelsea now begin a period where they have seven matches in 21 days in three different competitions, starting with Saturday's home match against Everton, and the Italian feels his squad could do with more time to recover. Conte also believes that it means English clubs start the Champions League last 16 at a disadvantage, due to fatigue.

“If I must be honest, I think that it's right to play during the Christmas period but, at the same time, after the Christmas period you must have a break. You must have a break because it's not simple, not simple. I think the players, the coaches are very tired because this busy period starts from November. It's not only in December.

“From November, you play every three days until the end of January. Especially if you go through in all the competitions. You have to play every few days, and that's not simple. The players need a bit of time to recover: one week to recover, and the restart. I think it would be right, and I think it's right to start to think about this opportunity to find a new solution.

“Because I think you have to try to put every team in the best situation to be competitive in all competitions. Then in February, when the Champions League restarts, you arrive very tired.

“You can stop your run for many reasons: when you play a lot of games without a week to rest the players, but also the staff – the coach – the opportunity to breathe a bit… I think it should be good to have a good reflection, to reflect on this situation and try a new solution to help the players, but also to protect the players from injuries. And try a bit of rest.”

“I'm talking for all the teams, all the players, all the coaches. Not just for me. But I repeat, to prepare for games every three days, you spend a lot of energy, to prepare analysis videos, to prepare tactical work, to prepare your team to play in a different system with different opponents... If we think you only play, you don't have great difficulty. But when there is work behind the game, preparing for the game – and for sure you have to work very hard, me and my staff, to work, work, work very hard.”