Jose Mourinho has raised the stakes ahead of Wednesday night’s Champions League last-16 second-leg tie with Paris Saint-Germain by claiming that Chelsea have more competitive games in their training sessions than the French champions do in Ligue 1.

Mourinho’s team have not played since they defeated West Ham 1-0 last Wednesday, while PSG beat Lens 4-1 in the French league on Saturday – a game that the Chelsea manager said had a lower intensity than his squad’s training session on the same day.

It was a remark that formed part of an answer to the question of whether the Premier League could claim to be the strongest league in the world if Chelsea were the only English side who made it into the last eight of the Champions League.

“I think so,” Mourinho said. “Do you imagine for example, in the quarter-finals, looking to the fixtures, the English team in the Champions League competing with Bayern Munich that has an 11-point advantage? They can play with a second team [in the Bundesliga] without any kind of pressure.

“Even PSG, I saw their game on Saturday. I think our training session on Saturday was harder than their game on Saturday. My players on Sunday, they were resting from the hard training session on the Saturday. I think on Sunday their [PSG] players were not resting from their game against Lens. It’s more difficult for English clubs.

“Do you think it’s normal where Everton are [14th] in the Premier League? It’s not normal, but they play every Thursday in the Europa League and travel and come back and play again on Sundays. This league is very difficult and the Champions League is a completely different situation.”

PSG 1 Chelsea 1 player ratings Show all 22 1 /22 PSG 1 Chelsea 1 player ratings PSG 1 Chelsea 1 player ratings Salvatore Sirigu Authoritative handling but left helpless for opener. Hung on to Hazard shot and beat Terry to free-kick but underemployed in second period. 6 PSG 1 Chelsea 1 player ratings Gregory van der Wiel Enjoyed space to motor forward but often let down by poor deliveries. Beat Azpilicueta too easily a couple of times and added threat for home side. 7 PSG 1 Chelsea 1 player ratings Marquinhos Imperious domestic form has seen him linked with Manchester United and played a key part in keeping backline secure in early exchanges. 7 PSG 1 Chelsea 1 player ratings Thiago Silva Stood up well to physical challenge of Costa before hosts turned up pressure. Had little to do after break as Chelsea were kept on the back foot. 6 PSG 1 Chelsea 1 player ratings Maxwell Linked up well with Verratti and part of composed PSG backline who recovered from shaky spell before interval. Partly to blame for Chelsea’s goal. 6 PSG 1 Chelsea 1 player ratings Marco Verratti Ceded free-kick to Hazard in dangerous area but later caught by Matic for PSG’s own set-piece. Inventive and at times overly combative.7 PSG 1 Chelsea 1 player ratings David Luiz Deployed in midfield but badly lost former colleague Ivanovic as the Serb put visitors in front. Better in second half. Creative usage of referee’s foam. 6 PSG 1 Chelsea 1 player ratings Blaise Matuidi Effervescent midfielder always sought to burst forward and went close with header that Courtois repelled. Delightful cross for the equaliser. 7 PSG 1 Chelsea 1 player ratings Ezequiel Lavezzi Effective work on left side but overhit his crosses at times. Pounced after Ibrahimovic effort was saved but had shot blocked by Azpilicueta. 7 PSG 1 Chelsea 1 player ratings Zlatan Ibrahimovic Denied from close range and sent another free-kick over Courtois’ bar. Slalomed through Chelsea box before being twice denied by strong Courtois stops. 7 PSG 1 Chelsea 1 player ratings Edinson Cavani Has revelled in this competition this season and inspired early attacks. Forced Courtois save before powering home leveller. Dribbled effort wide late on. 8 PSG 1 Chelsea 1 player ratings Chelsea: Thibaut Courtois Restored to starting line-up and made strong saves from Matuidi and Cavani but left exposed for latter’s equaliser. Two superb stops to deny Ibrahimovic. 8 PSG 1 Chelsea 1 player ratings Branislav Ivanovic Tireless running but not able to have same impact as PSG counterparts, who were more direct and confident on ball. Could not be faulted for effort. 6 PSG 1 Chelsea 1 player ratings Gary Cahill Trusted ahead of the impressive Kurt Zouma despite indifferent form. Inspired flick set up Ivanovic for goal but lost his man for home side’s goal. 6 PSG 1 Chelsea 1 player ratings John Terry Provided unlikely cross that led to Ivanovic’s opener and was hub of Chelsea backline as he tried manfully to prevent a winner for the French side.7 PSG 1 Chelsea 1 player ratings Cesar Azpilicueta Usually one of the side’s more reliable performers but struggled to settle here. Made a vital clearance from Lavezzi shot after Courtois save. 6 PSG 1 Chelsea 1 player ratings Ramires Tireless running but not able to have same impact as PSG counterparts, who were more direct and confident on ball. Could not be faulted for effort. 6 PSG 1 Chelsea 1 player ratings Nemanja Matic Habitually saves his better displays for the bigger matches and was impressive. Used size as he dropped back to aid Chelsea’s defensive efforts. 7 PSG 1 Chelsea 1 player ratings Willian Endless energy but not able to impact greatly as hosts enjoyed better of the middle of the park. Sacrificed for new man Cuadrado in final minutes. 5 PSG 1 Chelsea 1 player ratings Cesc Fabregas Pushed forward into number 10 role but not at his creative best as he suffered from heavy cold. Afforded little time on ball and taken off near the end. 6 PSG 1 Chelsea 1 player ratings Eden Hazard Relentlessly barracked by Parisian locals and relentlessly marked by home players. Came in for rough treatment and not one of his best showings. 6 PSG 1 Chelsea 1 player ratings Diego Costa First appearance in three weeks for the Spaniard and enjoyed muscular battle with Thiago. A little rusty in decision-making and minor scuffle with Luiz. 6

With the tie delicately poised at 1-1 from the first leg in Paris on 17 February, Mourinho also said that his team did not need the same bonus incentive that will see the PSG players paid €250,000 (£178,000) each for prevailing in the tie. The Chelsea manager said that he was only paid bonuses for winning trophies and had not been on a bonus programme based on round-by-round progression since he was manager of Porto.

Mourinho said: “The club pay us a very good salary to do our job the best we can. We do that job as best we can. If we take the club into quarter-finals, semi-finals, finals, but we don’t win the competition, we are doing a very good job for the club financially. I don’t think we should get extra money, on top of our salaries, if we don’t win the last prize.”

The Chelsea manager said that nothing could match the satisfaction he felt at winning trophies, and that he would “pay to win” – pay with his own money to experience that feeling of victory, were that possible.