Been there, done that comfort for Blues

“Experience is always vital in any competition and we have a good blend in our squad,” said Holland.

“We have many players who haven’t been in this situation before, but also a good group that have.

“We also have a very experienced manager who has been in this situation before, and it’s good to have that experience at this stage.

“We’ve got the circumstances we have: this is a club used to playing a lot of matches at this stage of the season.

“Last season we got to the final of the Europa League which was 15 extra matches, the year before we had 13 for the Champions League.

“We’re in a situation we’ve been in before.

“When Roberto was manager in 2012 we played Spurs at Tottenham on a Sunday evening, where the game could have gone to penalties.

“We then played Barcelona in the Champions League on the Wednesday then Arsenal at the Emirates for a vital game for fourth, then Barcelona at the Nou Camp.

“We realised to have any chance in the Nou Camp, to have the energy required to get over the line in that tie, something had to give.

“We made eight changes for Arsenal, we still drew the game, but something had to give. As you know we just managed to scrape over the line in the Nou Camp.

“It’s a really challenging period emotionally; you’ve got to have experienced it to appreciate what it takes out of the players.

“That makes the challenge more difficult, but it’s the way it is, it’s something we’ve done before, we’ve got a good squad and we’ve got to do it again.”

Belgium playmaker Eden Hazard remains a doubt for Chelsea’s Champions League semi-final first leg trip to Atletico Madrid on Tuesday night.

The 23-year-old was named on the PFA Players’ Player of the Year shortlist yesterday, before coach Holland ruled him out of action for today’s league battle with Sunderland.

Holland revealed Hazard is yet to make a return to full training, leaving him in a fitness race for Tuesday’s trip to Spain.

“Eden Hazard won’t be fit for tomorrow, but everyone else trained today, so we’re not in bad shape,” said Holland.

“I wouldn’t say he is definitely out at this stage, but the fact that he hasn’t yet trained with the group would suggest he still remains a doubt.”

Meanwhile, the point Sunderland gained against Manchester City at the Etihad was welcome, but it still left them six shy of safety with just five games to play.

Manager Gus Poyet will travel south looking for a similarly Herculean effort which would make him and his players hugely popular on Merseyside as leaders Liverpool hope for a Chelsea slip.

The Uruguayan said: “We don’t play for anyone apart from ourselves.

“The idea is to go and be brave, but not brave in terms of taking risks and being silly. The idea is to be brave playing the way we play, defending how we need to defend and trying to play our football and staying in the game all the time.”

Chelsea expect Terry to pen new deal

John Terry will hopefully complete terms on a new Chelsea contract “amicably” in the near future, according to assistant coach Steve Holland.

Former England centre-back Terry has reportedly been offered a new contract by the west London club but on half his current salary.

Holland rejected any suggestions of tension between club and the 33-year-old Chelsea stalwart, and intimated that the Blues are also closing in on new deals for long-serving duo Ashley Cole and Frank Lampard.

“John has had an outstanding season; we have the best defensive record in the Premier League and he’s played in almost all of that and been a major part of it all,” said Holland.

“I know that John wants to stay at Chelsea, and Chelsea want John to stay, so hopefully that situation can be concluded amicably over the next few weeks.

“It’s the same situation [with Lampard and Cole], we’re dealing with not just normal players, but magnificent servants for this club over a long period.

“So full respect will be given for those players.”