Antonio Conte welcomes Chelsea 'challenge' as he adapts to London life and prepares for 'curious' Christmas

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Standard Sport13 November 2016

Antonio Conte believes life at Chelsea is a "good challenge" as he adapts to the demands of living away from his family ahead of the Premier League's unique festive fixture list.

Conte has made a fine start to life at Stamford Bridge, leaving Chelsea a point off league leaders Liverpool going into the international break after a formation switch to 3-4-3 led to five straight wins.

The 47-year-old coach has been an animated figure on the touchline and has quickly become a fan favourite with Blues supporters, and Conte suggests a switch to England came at the right time after his previous stint with the Italian national team.

Conte told Chelsea's official website: "This is a good challenge for me, and for my wife and my daughter, because this is the first time for me working in a country with another language, with different habits and also a different method of work, but I am enthusiastic about this experience because I think I arrive in the right moment of my life.

"However, for me it is a bit difficult now to enjoy London as usually when you arrive in a new club it is important to put the job for me and my staff above all else in this first period. For this reason I am enjoying only a little of London.

"I hope in the future to explore London better, but for now I prefer to be concentrated on the work."

One of the key differences between the Premier League and Serie A will be a lack of a winter break for Conte.

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The last Italian top-flight game of 2016 comes on 22 December, with play resuming on 8 January - a period in which Chelsea will face league ties against Bournemouth, Stoke and potential title rivals Tottenham.

Conte says the festive season will be a new experience for him - both professionally and personally - adding: "I am curious about this. This is the first time my team will play during the Christmas and New Year and I am very keen to discover about this.

"This Christmas I will be in England with all my family, not only my wife and daughter, but also my father and mother and my brothers together. For sure it will be a new Christmas for us."

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