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Willian: 'Chelsea just as strong as last season'

Chelsea midfielder Willian believes that the Blues remain as strong as they were last year despite several high-profile departures over the summer.

Chelsea midfielder Willian has claimed that the Blues remain as strong as they were last year despite several high-profile departures.

The Premier League champions allowed long-serving captain John Terry and influential midfielder Nemanja Matic to leave the club in the summer.

Diego Costa, meanwhile, fell out with manager Antonio Conte and has refused to play for the club, sealing his departure to Atletico Madrid this week.

However, Antonio Rudiger, Alvaro Morata and Tiemoue Bakayoko have been brought in to replace the departed trio, which means that nothing has changed, according to Willian.

"These players are great players, we miss these players, but Chelsea always try to bring players with quality," the Brazilian told Sky Sports News.

"I think the players that arrive have the quality to play here and the squad and the team are still strong. And we have to push till the end of the season.

"It is difficult to talk about that because of course when you lose players like that, it is bad. But we have great players here and we have to be happy if you are here, or in Manchester or Madrid.

"It is the same, nothing changes. Of course the players change, but the way we play, nothing changes, we always train in the same way, we always have a plan to come to the game, nothing changes."

Chelsea currently sit third in the Premier League table.

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Giuseppe Labellarte
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Diego Costa of Chelsea celebrates with teammates after scoring during his side's Premier League clash with Southampton at St Mary's on October 30, 2016
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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool18143145172845
2Arsenal19116238172139
3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest1911442619737
4Chelsea19105438231535
5Newcastle UnitedNewcastle1995532211132
6Manchester CityMan City199463226631
7Bournemouth198652923630
8Fulham197842825329
9Aston Villa198562831-329
10Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton196942928127
11Tottenham HotspurSpurs1973941281324
12Brentford197393335-224
13West Ham UnitedWest Ham196582335-1223
14Manchester UnitedMan Utd196492126-522
15Crystal Palace194872027-720
16Everton183871524-917
17Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1944113142-1116
18Ipswich TownIpswich1936101833-1515
19Leicester CityLeicester1935112242-2014
20Southampton1913151239-276


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