Chelsea boss Antonio Conte has said that the club's absence from European competition this season could benefit their performances in the Premier League.
The Blues could only finish in 10th position in the top flight last season, which has resulted in the club missing out on competing in the Champions League or Europa League for the first time in 20 years.
However, while Conte has admitted that he would prefer to be playing in the Champions League, he is hopeful that the extra time on the training pitch will pay off later in the campaign.
The Italian told the Evening Standard: "Not playing in the Champions League could be an opportunity because I will be able to work more with my players.
"If you ask me if I prefer this situation, I don't because Chelsea must be in this competition. You do feel like you're missing something when you're not involved in the Champions League. It is a special competition and you want to play in it every year.
"But because we are not, I will have a whole week to train with my players and that gives me a chance to work with them more compared to Chelsea managers in previous seasons."
Chelsea begin the new season with a home fixture against West Ham United on August 15.
Darren Plant
