Saturday 7 March 2015 13:33, UK
Jose Mourinho says Chelsea are reaping the benefit of a full week's rest ahead of the Champions League return against Paris St-Germain.
Chelsea have no match this weekend before Wednesday's last-16 second leg with PSG at Stamford Bridge, with the tie level at 1-1.
We deserved two days off. The people in the dressing room are tired.
Mourinho is seeking to win the competition for a third time with a third club after successes with Porto in 2004 and Inter Milan in 2010.
The Blues won 1-0 at West Ham on Wednesday to maintain their five-point lead at top of the Premier League, with last weekend's match at Leicester rearranged for April 29 because of the club's involvement in the Capital One Cup final.
"It is not a good thing that we play Leicester in two months," said Chelsea manager Mourinho. "That's not a good thing - for someone in the title race to have played one match less. I would prefer to play Leicester.
"But we deserved two days off. The people in the dressing room are tired."
Chelsea's Nemanja Matic will be available to face PSG after a two-game ban. The Serbia midfielder is expected to start despite suffering an ankle injury in celebrating the League Cup win over Tottenham, a match for which he was banned.
Matic's inclusion would mean Chelsea are at full strength as the club aim to reach the quarter-finals for the fourth time in five years.
Branislav Ivanovic, Cesc Fabregas and Filipe Luis are one booking away from a ban, so could miss the quarter-final first leg should Chelsea progress.
The first leg in France was overshadowed by an incident of racism on the Paris Metro, when a black commuter was blocked from boarding a train by Chelsea fans prior to the match.
Five Chelsea fans were suspended as a result of the incident, which was caught on video, and anyone found guilty of the abuse faces a life ban.
Souleymane S, the French-Mauritian victim, was invited to Stamford Bridge for Wednesday's match, but his lawyer said it was "too early" for him to attend, declining the invitation.
