Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho taunted Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday ahead of the teams' Champions League last 16 second leg, accusing them of committing systematic fouls and producing sterile approach play.
PSG largely controlled the first leg in Paris, which ended 1-1, enjoying 54 percent of possession and registering 11 shots on goal to Chelsea's one, but that one attempt yielded an away goal for Branislav Ivanovic that puts the London club in the driving seat ahead of Wednesday's return leg.
Chelsea winger Eden Hazard was the victim of nine fouls at the Parc des Princes -- a record for a Champions League match -- and Mourinho said that the French champions' approach had been too aggressive.
"I was surprised in that game because a team with fantastic players was the team with the record of fouls, was the team that was making foul after foul, was the team that stopped Hazard with fouls every time, was the team attacking the player in possession with two or three players with very aggressive actions," Mourinho said.
"Even with players like Zlatan Ibrahimovic, a typical attacking player, he was coming back and tackling Hazard from behind to stop counter-attacks.
"I thought an English team would never be surprised by aggressivity because of the aggressivity we have in our country.
"During this season we've played teams from the Championship and League One in the cups, a team from League Two, I think, Shrewsbury (in the League Cup), but the most aggressive team was Paris Saint-Germain.
"For me it was a real surprise. With players of such quality, I was expecting more football."
Mourinho also responded sarcastically when it was put to him by a French journalist at the eve-of-match press conference that PSG had dominated the first leg.
"It depends on your concept of football," Mourinho replied.
"What is dominate? If it's number of chances, yes, Paris had more chances than us. If dominate is to stop the opposition play, making foul after foul, then yes, they dominated.
"If dominate is to have the ball and move the ball without progression, yes they dominated. They dominated in everything except the result."
- Matic fit to play -
PSG coach Laurent Blanc had used his own pre-match media conference to warn his players not to succumb to Chelsea striker Diego Costa's "games", but Mourinho refused to take the bait when he was asked for his reaction.
"I don't want to know what he told me (said)," Mourinho said. "You can tell me, but I don't answer."
Apart from the injured John Mikel Obi, Chelsea will be at full-strength for the game at Stamford Bridge, with Mourinho revealing that midfield lynchpin Nemanja Matic is fit to start.
The Serbia international has missed two games through suspension and also injured his ankle during the celebrations that followed Chelsea's 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur in the League Cup final.
"I told him we won two very important matches without him. So maybe he's not so important," Mourinho said with a smile.
"He was laughing. I said, 'Why are you laughing?' But yes, he's very important for us. We did well without him, but we're happy to have him back.
"He's fit to play, but (has had) no football for a couple of weeks and no training because he was really injured. He's going to play tomorrow in his normal position."
Source: AFP