Conte and Fabregas apologises to Liverpool defender Ragnar Klavan

Chelsea boss Antonio Conte and midfielder Cesc Fabregas have apologised to Liverpool defender Ragnar Klavan after the Spain international was sent off for a reckless challenge in the teams’ International Champions Cup clash.

Gary Cahill’s early header proved to be the difference as Chelsea secured a 1-0 win at the Rose Bowl, but the match was overshadowed by Fabregas’ dismissal in the 70th minute.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp said after the game that Fabregas “came by us in the dressing room and said sorry” and Conte added: “I am sorry and the player is too.

“I am sorry for him and the Liverpool player. In this period the fatigue can sometimes bring a bit of going too late and I know Fabregas is a good man and it is not his habit to have this sort of situation.”

Referee Baldomero Toledo issued six yellow cards during the game in addition to the red for Fabregas, and the former Barcelona player said: “The way the ref was giving yellow cards, probably yes it was fair.

“In the Premier League, probably you could get away with it. I got there late, he got a toe to the ball and I was anxious to win the ball. It was a hard tackle, so I accept it and move on.

“We want to win every game and everything becomes very competitive, but the ref for them and for us was giving cards all over the place.

“Sometimes when you do that as a ref you lose a little feeling of what is happening, because if you give one that is 50-50 or 40-60 then you have to give the next one. It became a bit of a farce. He didn’t have the game under control.”

Meanwhile, Conte did not confirm whether he had made an effort to sign Carlos Tevez from Boca Juniors.

Tevez, 32, has claimed his former Juventus boss contacted him about a move to Stamford Bridge but he turned down the offer.

Asked about the situation after the Liverpool game, Conte said: “Carlos was my player when I was coach at Juventus and we had a fantastic season.

“I appreciate Carlos a lot, as a player and also as a man, but now I know he’s a player of Boca and he did a lot to go back to Argentina and I wish for him and his family the best.”