Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech credits his stunning form to a break during the international window.

He had some time off during the international window after the Czech Republic agreed for him to sit out their friendly matches amid fears too much football would leave him needing surgery on a chronic elbow problem.

The 30-year-old said: "I hope it will alleviate that anyway because I've been playing with that for years and nearly always managed to stay on top of it.

"So, I hope it's going to be the case again for the coming years.

"Not to travel with the national team and not to play more games, it can be helpful and that's why, when I spoke with the national team, I got that option."