Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has confirmed that midfielder Cesc Fabregas has been battling illness in the build-up to Tuesday's Champions League last-16 clash with Paris Saint-Germain.
The Spaniard trained on Monday wrapped up in a variety of wooly hats and scarfs as he battled what reports suggest is a heavy cold, with Mourinho admitting his team would miss his influence if he failed to prove his fitness ahead of the first leg in Paris.
"Fabregas has been ill," confirmed Mourinho, who hinted that he hopes the midfielder he signed from Barcelona last summer would be fit enough to play.
"We are a different team with Fabregas, I'm not saying better or worse, I'm saying different. The team grew up from preseason with him on the team and the team went in a certain direction with a style of play.
"Without him, we lose some control, some possession, we become the same team, well organised, good in transition. But with him, we control the game better, we have more control of the game. We have possession of the ball because of the nature of the style of player he is."
Mourinho also has to decide whether to restore keeper Thibaut Courtois to his position as Chelsea's first choice keeper, after he picked Petr Cech to start last week's 1-0 win against Everton ahead of his Belgian stopper.
"He [Courtois] doesn't know if he plays or not, so I can't tell you. He has to know from me, not from the media," stated Mourinho.
"But I repeat Chelsea have the two best goalkeepers in the Premier League. I'm very happy with both. Every time one plays, the team are very confident because they know that they have a top goalkeeper."