Carlo Ancelotti believes his Chelsea players have no doubts about their ability to land the Premier League having topped the table for much of the campaign.
The Blues surrendered top spot to Manchester United after a recent run of two defeats and a draw in five league games and have just seven matches to reclaim pole position.
However, the Blues went some way to overcoming the lean spell, which coincided with their UEFA Champions League exit to Inter Milan, with a 5-0 thumping of Portsmouth on Wednesday.
With just one point separating Chelsea and United, Ancelotti insists the spell was merely a dip in confidence and is now vowing to lead the Blues to their first title since 2006.
"Maybe in the players' minds there were doubts, having come so close for the last few years," Ancelotti told the Daily Express.
"But we deserve to win this title. The players believe now, because we have been at the top for eight months.
"We want to get back there and stay there, to win this title. This is the time for Chelsea to win.
"We are through our bad spell now. I told the players we had to go back to basics, have confidence in our football, and do the simple things right."
The former Milan and Juventus boss has won just one league title in management, the 2004 Scudetto with the Rossoneri, but insists he is well equipped to cope with pressure at the top while predicting a typically tight finish.
"In this job there is always pressure," he added. "Every game. If you don't win, you have problems. It's the same here as in Milan.
"I lost the championship once in Italy with Juventus after being nine points clear with eight games to play in 2000.
"You think you're sure to win the title in a situation like that. The table says you'll win it - but you don't."
The Blues surrendered top spot to Manchester United after a recent run of two defeats and a draw in five league games and have just seven matches to reclaim pole position.
However, the Blues went some way to overcoming the lean spell, which coincided with their UEFA Champions League exit to Inter Milan, with a 5-0 thumping of Portsmouth on Wednesday.
With just one point separating Chelsea and United, Ancelotti insists the spell was merely a dip in confidence and is now vowing to lead the Blues to their first title since 2006.
"Maybe in the players' minds there were doubts, having come so close for the last few years," Ancelotti told the Daily Express.
"But we deserve to win this title. The players believe now, because we have been at the top for eight months.
"We want to get back there and stay there, to win this title. This is the time for Chelsea to win.
"We are through our bad spell now. I told the players we had to go back to basics, have confidence in our football, and do the simple things right."
The former Milan and Juventus boss has won just one league title in management, the 2004 Scudetto with the Rossoneri, but insists he is well equipped to cope with pressure at the top while predicting a typically tight finish.
"In this job there is always pressure," he added. "Every game. If you don't win, you have problems. It's the same here as in Milan.
"I lost the championship once in Italy with Juventus after being nine points clear with eight games to play in 2000.
"You think you're sure to win the title in a situation like that. The table says you'll win it - but you don't."
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