Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech says they're benefiting from a refreshed Juan Mata.

Cech hailed manager Roberto Di Matteo's brave decision to rest a player who is arguably Chelsea's best at present.

"For us, the important thing is to have Juan Mata for the whole season, not for three months and then to see him burn," he said.

"That's, I think, what some people could possibly suffer where you play 60 games and you go to the Euros and your team starts the qualifying rounds so early. He can get burnt, easily.

"You need to have a break and it was well done from the coaching staff."