Chelsea defender Cesar Azpilicueta says he is determined to beat his record of starting 74 consecutive Premier League matches, after being rested for the Blues’ clash with Swansea last month which resulted in losing the impressive run.

The Spain international has played a vital role for Chelsea since arriving at Stamford Bridge, and it’s perhaps about time he was given a rest based on the amount of game time he has endured.

He returned to action in the Champions League against Atletico Madrid on Tuesday night, and after the game admitted he hopes to break the record once again.

“I never thought about the amount of games I played in a row, 90 minutes in all of them.

“But I would try to beat that mark, and I’m pleased for the number of games because I know it’s difficult.

“Of course I want to play every game. We are a team, the manager makes the best decisions for the team. He sees the performance, the training.”

Azpilicueta then spoke about Chelsea’s chances in the Champions League, with the Blues potentially facing a trip to Barcelona in the round of 16.

“It’s true that if you finish first, you play the second leg at home.

“It’s a bit of a difference but, honestly, when you go into the last 16 of the Champions League, you have to face big, big teams and we have to show our level.

“But it’s not only us. If we finished first, we could also face big teams. Real Madrid, the current champions, also finished second.”
[Quotes via Metro]