John Obi Mikel has been hailed as an unsung hero at Stamford Bridge by Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo.

Demanding

While quick to praise Mikel at this early juncture, Di Matteo has also pointed out that there is a long way to go this season and that his squad will need to be rotated if Chelsea are to build on the bright start they have made in their Premier League title chase and defence of their UEFA Champions League crown. He added: "If you look at our fixture list it is very demanding and packed for a long time, so undoubtedly there will be time and space for everybody to play and show their qualities. "We have Tottenham and Manchester United to come, with Shakhtar Donetsk in between, so it's a big period coming up. "Hopefully, when this international break is over, all the players come back in good health and we can start again."