FORGET about past games with Barcelona, they are done and dusted.
That's the message from Antonio Conte after Chelsea drew the Catalan giants in the last 16 of the Champions League.
Barca were quick to make fun of a previous win at Stamford Bridge by taking to Twitter with the message:
"We've had some great times at Stamford Bridge, haven't we Iniesta". That was a reference to their2008-09 semi-final clash where Andres Iniesta struck late-on to send Barcelona through.
CLAIM YOUR FREE 30 BETCheck out this new sign up offer from Sun Bets
And Didier Drogba apologised for extarordinary, foul-mouthed 'over-reaction' to the 0-1 result. There have been other glittering clashes between the two sides.
But hardline Italian manager Conte insists the past has nothing to do with the two-legged affair coming up in the New Year.
He said: "Those games are in the past, the present is another story.
"It is totally different. This type of game is a good chance for every player to show the right value, for sure every player has to play in the right way.
"It's a draw and our reaction must be positive. As I know very well you must be ready to face everything and in this case you must ready to face Barcelona.
"But our priority must be the league and try to stay up and fight for a Champions League place.
"That must be our priority and when it will be the moment and play Barcelona then we will think about that game.
"We have to be very realistic that this league is very dangerous. We have to go game by game and play every game with 120 percent of our strength or we risk to have a bad surprise at the end of the season."
Chelsea are third in the Premier League, 14 points behind leaders Manchester City after Saturday's 1-0 loss at West Ham.
For the time being they must concetrate on maintaining domestic form.
"That must be our priority and when it will be the moment and play Barcelona then we will think about that game," added Conte.
"We have to be very realistic that this league is very dangerous.
"We have to go game by game and play every game with 120 percent of our strength or we risk to have a bad surprise at the end of the season."
