Rafa Benitez: Taking one game at a time towards the end of the season with Chelsea
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Rafa Benitez has joked he will be blamed for Chelsea's fixture congestion if he inspires victory over Steaua Bucharest on Thursday.
The Londoners must overturn a 1-0 first-leg deficit if they are to overcome Steaua and reach the last eight of the Europa League.
A successful outcome would leave Chelsea facing six games in 15 days beginning with a trip to Southampton on Easter Saturday.
But Benitez, who has been persistently barracked by a section of the club's supporters since his appointment as interim boss, is confident he can juggle the demands of Europe, the FA Cup and the Premier League.
Asked about the possible fixture congestion, he said: "I can do nothing about that. I just concentrate on my job and try to do my best, preparing the team for every competition.
"Maybe someone else will blame me. Some people always say that it's my fault, that everything is my fault!
"You have to analyse every single thing and you will decide what to do and still someone will criticise you. If you lose a game, it's 'oh, he picked the wrong player' or whatever."
Rafa Benitez
"You are clever enough to realise that I was joking. If something is wrong they want to blame me. But I have to manage this, too.
"You have to analyse every single thing and you will decide what to do and still someone will criticise you. If you lose a game, it's 'oh, he picked the wrong player' or whatever.
"It's quite difficult, but each team is different and it depends on the players that you have, the positions and the congestion.
"I will try to lead by example, so I will concentrate on the next game. That is what I have to do, to make sure we compete in every single competition. The first one is on Thursday."
Benitez's critics appeared to have further ammunition, if it were required, 11 minutes into last Sunday's quarter-final with Manchester United at Old Trafford.
However, the Blues came from 2-0 down to force a replay and keep the defence of the FA Cup trophy alive.
Benitez hopes his side can carry momentum from that second-half display into Thursday's match and Sunday's Premier League clash with West Ham.
"It's important for us to show against a top side like United that we can do it," he said.
"We did it before against other teams, but doing it at Old Trafford, against United, shows that we can do it and hopefully we can keep the momentum."
Source : http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11668/8562680/Rafa-Benitez-jokes-about-blame-for-Chelsea-s-fixture-pile-up
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