Source: team_talk
Terry set for Chelsea rest
John Terry could sit out Chelsea's Champions League game against Nordsjaelland in Denmark after playing 90 minutes in the win at Arsenal.
Terry captained the Premier League leaders to victory at the Emirates Stadium less than 48 hours after being found guilty of using racist language towards Anton Ferdinand by an independent Football Association panel.
The defender spent much of last week at Wembley fighting to clear his name once and for all, having been acquitted of a racially aggravated public order offence by Westminster Magistrates Court.
Terry was mentally and physically fit enough to lead Chelsea out this afternoon but manager Roberto Di Matteo may now decide to give the 31-year-old a short break.
Asked yesterday what factors would determine whether Terry would be rested for Tuesday's Champions League Group E clash, Di Matteo said: "First of all, whether or not he's going to play Saturday.
"Secondly, I have to check on the availability of my whole squad and the fitness of everybody before I make those decisions."
The seriousness of the knock David Luiz suffered in today's game could influence Di Matteo's thinking, although Chelsea could easily switch Branislav Ivanovic to centre-back and start Cesar Azpilicueta at right-back.
The European champions will be expected to beat first-time Danish champions Nordsjaelland with or without Terry, whose decision to quit England has made the Champions League more important for him.
He may have helped the Blues end their agonising wait for European Cup glory last season but his suspension for the final will surely make him even more determined to get there again.
Not necessarily so, according to Di Matteo, who said: "He didn't play in the final but he was very much a part of it, like the other three boys that were unfortunately suspended for the final.
"We got to the final and had the chance to win because of all these guys.
"Everybody would like to play the final, for sure, but they had a big part to play in the whole campaign."
That campaign was a rollercoaster almost from start to finish, with Chelsea scraping top spot in their group after failing to win any of their away matches.
Di Matteo admitted "nobody wants" a repeat of the way the Blues left it to the last group game to qualify for the last 16 after throwing away leads in matches at Valencia, Bayer Leverkusen and Genk.
He added: "We conceded at Leverkusen late on and at Valencia as well so we need to stay focused and try and maybe close the game out a little earlier when we get chance."
The signs were not good in their Group E opener against Juventus, where Chelsea blew a two-goal lead to draw 2-2.
Di Matteo admitted that made victory on Tuesday more important, with tougher-looking tests at Shakhtar Donetsk and Juve to come.
Admitting Nordsjaelland had "nothing to lose" in a match where even a draw would go down as one of the greatest results in their history, the Italian added: "It is their first home game in the Champions League and any away game is difficult.
"Ideally now, we need to win."
Di Matteo could also elect to rest Fernando Torres, despite the striker having scored in his last two matches.
The Spain striker has started every game this season and may have been given a break sooner but for an injury to Daniel Sturridge, who could return on Tuesday.
Longer-term, Di Matteo may look to address a situation that has left him with only two senior centre-forwards.
He came closer than ever to admitting Chelsea's interest in Radamel Falcao, saying: "He's a player in everyone's eye because of the goals he scored.
"And not just this season because in the last two years he's been scoring 30 goals a season.
"At the moment we are not monitoring him in a particular way but I think everybody watches international football."
Di Matteo could also attempt to recall Romelu Lukaku from his loan spell at West Brom.
He said: "We'll talk about that in January and see what the situation is.
"He had limited chances here so we sent him out on loan and he is having a good run."
