Chelsea boss defends team selection

Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo said he had no choice but to rest some of his star players for the 2-1 defeat against West Brom.

Key midfield trio Juan Mata, Oscar and Ramires were all left out of the starting line-up as the Blues’ winless Premier League run stretched to four games with a below-par display.

“It was just because of the midweek games,” Di Matteo said.

“They were all over Europe and the world. Our players were coming back from long flights with five or six-hour time delays and they were not in the condition to last or start the game.”

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