Chelsea fixture congestion? That must be my fault too, jokes Benitez

14-Mar-2013 2:06:00 PM

The Blues will play four games in just nine days if they can overturn a 1-0 deficit to Steaua Bucharest and the interim boss quipped that he may also be criticised for that

Chelsea interim manager Rafa Benitez has joked that he will probably get the blame for the Blues' fixture congestion should they progress to the Europa League quarter-finals.

Benitez's side trail Romanian club Steaua Bucharest 1-0 heading into the second leg at Stamford Bridge and, if they can overturn the deficit, the Blues will play four times in just nine days.

Chelsea also face a replay in the FA Cup sixth-round tie with Mmanchester United that has been scheduled for April 1, three days before the first leg of any Europa League last-eight tie.

"Maybe somebody else will blame me. They will say it's my fault - because everything is my fault," Benitez quipped to reporters.

"You are clever enough to realise I was joking. But if something is wrong, some people want to blame me. I have to manage this too.

"When you have to play every three days, or two days, which is the situation, you have to look at your squad, your players and the positions they play.

"Centre-backs and goalkeepers can play more games, but for wingers, full-backs, strikers, it is more difficult because of the intensity of the runs and the distance they run.

"You have to see which ones recover quickly and are fit. Others are older and need more time. So you have to analyse everything and decide - and still you get criticised.

"If you lose it's, 'You picked the wrong player.' It's quite difficult."