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Antonio Conte knows his first eleven, and he has stuck to that first eleven for most games this season. This has kept a number of quality players on the bench but Conte reveals he usually tells them the truth about why they don’t start games.

He said: “No, but usually, I don’t like it when I have this type of conversation. But in the season I like to have lots of conversation with players – for me this is the first season, I’m knowing these players and they are learning to know me also.

“For this reason it’s important to have a good conversation with all the players. To try always to be honest. I think that the right way is to be honest. I prefer to tell always a better truth than a good lie.

“When one player wants to have an explanation about my choices, my door is always open and the reply is always the same – I want to win and I try always, in every game, to make the best decision.”