Champions League glory a ‘big target’ for Chelsea in 2017-18 – Fabregas

Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas is confident his side can be a force on their return to the Champions League next season.

Chelsea, who won the Champions League in 2011-12, failed to qualify for this season’s European competition after finishing 10th in the 2015-16 campaign.

But, having secured Premier League glory this time around, Antonio Conte’s side will play against Europe’s elite in 2017-18.

“We definitely feel we can do something in the Champions League,” Fabregas said in The Guardian. “It will be a big target for us. Now, lately, you see the English teams are struggling.

“You will see that six teams can win the [Premier] League easily. Any of them can do it. Then some of them will play Europa League, Champions League. Then on top of that you have the League Cup, the FA Cup. Other leagues don’t have these extra games, extra trophies and extra difficult games.

“You go to places like Burnley and it’s difficult. In Spain, you go to other places, relegation teams, and it’s not as difficult. It will be very tough to compete but we feel we can be strong next season, not just in the Premier League but the Champions League as well.

“I am sure we will strengthen our team. We’ve won the title but that doesn’t mean that the team cannot get better. Every team, even if they win, will try to improve and I’m sure that Chelsea will try to do that.”

Meanwhile, Chelsea will bid for a record-breaking end to the season, beginning against Watford on Monday night.

If Conte’s men beat Watford and relegated Sunderland on Sunday’s final day, Chelsea would become the first team in the Premier League era to win 30 games in a season.

That would set them up ideally for their bid to complete a Double with victory over Arsenal in the FA Cup final on May 27.