London: Chelsea interim manager Roberto Di Matteo feels his side's Champions League quarter-final draw against Benfica will be tough after a dramatic extra-time win over Napoli in the last round.
Benfica topped their Champions League group featuring Manchester United, who were knocked out of the group stages. The 41-year-old has also seen the Portuguese club play many times and knows the difficulty they will pose for Chelsea for a place in the semi-finals.
"When you get down to the last eight teams, any draw is difficult," Di Matteo told reporters on Friday. "I've seen Benfica many times. They were in Man United's group. It's a tough game for us. I think the fact that we play the first game away is good."
While Chelsea will still be on a high after beating Napoli 5-4 on aggregate after a stunning 4-1 victory at Stamford Bridge that took until extra time to find a winner in the round-of-16, the current Blues manager has set his sights on making further progress in the FA Cup.
The Premier League giants will take on Leicester City this Sunday for a place in the semi-final of the cup, a competition that Chelsea will be looking to win along with securing a Champions League place in the Premier League.
For Di Matteo, the FA Cup, along with progression in the Champions League, can provide Chelsea with a good ending to what seemed a doomed season.
"Every win gives you confidence, brings a bit of belief back into the team, which is pleasing as we're in a results business," said the Italian. "We will try to put out the strongest team available to win on Sunday. [John Terry] and David Luiz should both be fit for Sunday, we expect everybody to be ready. The FA Cup is one of the most exciting tournaments in the world, this club has a very good history in it."
Comments
0 comment