Antonio Conte warns Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich that winning trophies isn't all about champagne football

Antonio Conte has insisted that having the right balance between defence and attack is still “the best way” to win trophies in modern football, despite the trend for spectacular attacking football that has brought success for the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool.

Chelsea today face a Liverpool team who last week bludgeoned their way past AS Roma in the Champions League semi-final with their all-action approach under Jurgen Klopp.

And the open nature of the other Champions League semi-final, between Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, provided more evidence of the shift towards more expansive football.

Conte, however, resisted the suggestion that the demands on teams to play attractive football had changed the way the game is played.

“I think there are many styles of football,” he said. “There is not one style that can make you a winner. Last season, City and Liverpool didn’t win and I think their style was always the same.

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“It’s important, in my experience as a player and as a coach, to have in every moment the right balance, offensively and defensively. This is the best way, in my opinion, to win something.”

Conte will hope to take advantage of any tiredness in Liverpool’s legs this weekend as Chelsea look to continue their late assault on the Premier League’s top four.

Chelsea, in fifth, are six points behind third-placed Liverpool, but do have a game in hand.

He will be reliant on the likes of Eden Hazard and Willian to outshine Liverpool’s attacking players – in particular, former Chelsea player Mohamed Salah, who has scored 43 goals this season.

“Everyone wants to put on the pitch the best technical players, but then you must have players very good to run, to win the ball, to fight to win the ball, good tackling, good at defending,” Conte said. “Football is not simple. You must be good in both phases.”