Football
Liam Twomey, Chelsea correspondent 8y

Chelsea's Ola Aina impressed by Antonio Conte's coaching style

Ola Aina believes Antonio Conte's vocal style of coaching on the touchline will help him improve after making an appearance in Chelsea's first preseason match against Rapid Vienna on Saturday.

Conte brought Aina on at left-back for Baba Rahman at half-time of Chelsea's 2-0 defeat at Allianz Stadion, and the 19-year-old was one of the Blues' most impressive performers after the break in an otherwise underwhelming start to preseason.

Chelsea's new head coach spent most of the match on the edge of his technical area issuing instructions to his players, and Aina -- who spent much of the second half only yards away from Conte on the left flank -- afterwards revealed that he appreciated the level of guidance he received.

"I heard him a lot!" Aina told Chelsea's official website. "It was really good. I would much rather have a manager telling me 'Ola here, Ola there', than not hearing anything at all and being left in the dark. It was really good for me and playing on the left is normal for me as well.

"I was very pleased with my performance. I just wanted to have an impact and try and do what the manager asked of me. I thoroughly enjoyed it even though the result didn't go the team's way. It was a good experience in a packed stadium.

"At half-time the manager just said to me and the team that we should press higher, and that everything we do should be press, press, press. It did seem to work as I thought we were edging to get a goal in the second half. It was unfortunate it didn't go our way."

His cameo at Allianz Stadion was Aina's first appearance for Chelsea since signing a new four-year contract at the club earlier this month. When asked what it meant to him to commit his future to the Blues, he replied: "I am delighted to sign a new four-year deal and commit myself to the club for that period of time. I am very happy and I want to keep progressing this season."

Chelsea flew from Vienna to the southern Austrian town of Velden on Sunday, where they have been joined by new signing Michy Batshuayi for a training camp that will include another friendly against WAC RZ Pellets on July 20.

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