Chelsea manager Antonio Conte says his side cannot relax this month.

The Blues are looking at seven matches in the next 21 days as Champions League group stage matches start on Tuesday night, with Chelsea hosting Azerbaijani champions Qarabag at Stamford Bridge.

"English teams are having difficulties because the league is very tough here and in my past sometimes before a Champions League game you rested players. In England, it's not easy to do this and if you do you risk a lot," Conte said.

"For sure to play seven games in 21 days is not easy but we are ready, and for this reason I need to rotate the players in my squad. They must feel totally involved in this process.

"We played two days ago and then we play tomorrow and then have another tough game against Arsenal and then the Carabao Cup, and then two games in the league against Stoke and Manchester City, then Atletico Madrid.

"There is the necessity to do some rotation, otherwise you have a team without energy.

"Being realistic, it's not easy. When you play against a medium team in the league and rest players you risk losing the game and in this league, there are six and seven teams ready to fight for the Champions League.

"You are never relaxed in England. You have a tough league, the Champions League, the FA Cup and Carabao Cup.

"To play 65 games at a high level it's normal that it's not easy. We are starting a path and it will be very important to start and build something.

"You need to work very hard and improve every year and go step by step to become like Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Juventus. You don't create a big and strong team easily.

"We are building something important for the present but also the future, but you need time to do this. We'll see what happens."