London: Jose Mourinho has accused Paris St Germain of being the most aggressive team his Chelsea side have played all season ahead of their Champions League last 16 return leg on Wednesday.
Mourinho told a news conference that PSG repeatedly fouled his players in the 1-1 first-leg draw in France last month, with Chelsea playmaker Eden Hazard their chief target.
"I was surprised because a team with fantastic players was the team that was making foul after foul, was the team that was stopping Hazard with fouls all the time, was the team attacking the man in possession of the ball with two or three players and having some very aggressive action," he said.
"Even a player like Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who is a very technical player, was running back to tackle Hazard from behind to stop counter attacks.
"I thought an English team would never be surprised by aggressivity because of the aggressivity we have in our country," added Mourinho.
"This season we have played teams in the cup competitions from the Championship, from League One, from League Two, but the most aggressive was Paris St Germain. With players of such quality I was expecting more football and less aggressivity."
Mourinho's outburst was perhaps a reaction to PSG coach Laurent Blanc's assertion at an earlier news conference that Chelsea striker Diego Costa was a provocative player.
The Portuguese was asked if he wanted to reply to Blanc's remarks but he put his finger to his lips and shook his head.
"I refuse to comment... find another question," he said.
LIGHTER MOOD
The Chelsea manager's mood lightened when he was asked about the returning Nemanja Matic.
The London club were without the suspended midfielder for their two previous games, a 2-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur in the League Cup final at Wembley and a 1-0 Premier League win away to West Ham United.
"I told him that we won two very important matches without him so maybe he's not so important," smiled Mourinho.
"You are laughing now and he was laughing too but this is the reality. But also the reality is that he is very important for us.
"Chelsea did well without him but we are happy he is back and that he is fit to play."
Mourinho's men are looking to knock PSG out of the competition for the second season in a row. Last year they ousted the French club in the quarter-finals on away goals.
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