Cesar: Blues can cope with fixture pile-up

Cesar Azpilicueta insists Chelsea can cope with the fixture pile-up facing them during the run-in to the season.

Sunday’s draw against Manchester United in the FA Cup means a replay and yet another game for Rafael Benitez’s side, who are chasing a top-four finish and are involved in the Europa League.

But Blues defender Azpilicueta is convinced the squad is capable of competing on all three fronts.

“We are playing a lot of games – this is the longest season in the history of the club – but physically it is possible and we have the capacity to do it,” said the Spaniard.

Chelsea’s European involvement will end unless they overturn a 1-0 deficit when they meet Steaua Bucharest in Thursday’s second leg at Stamford Bridge.

Azpilicueta remains confident they can see off the Romanian team and reach the quarter-finals.

He said: “I don’t think too much about whether one team are favourites or not. We lost 1-0 and now we play at Stamford Bridge and the most important thing is to play our best.

“We want to win trophies. We have three objectives and this is the next one – to carry on in the Europa League.”

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