The interim Blues boss had to decide whether to stick with Didier Drogba for Wednesday night's first leg at Stamford Bridge or recall Fernando Torres for the crunch clash. Di Matteo has given almost equal game time to Drogba and Torres recently and, after the former started Sunday's FA Cup semi-final thrashing of Tottenham, it would appear something has to give in the coming week.
"It's new for me, but there's nothing bad about it," said Drogba. "The most important thing is for the team to win games and to go forward. Of course, I would like to play more, but I think the other players would like to play more as well, so I can't complain."
Drogba is not about to volunteer for a rest, however.
He added: "All these games now are very important for us, the ones in the league, the FA Cup final, the ones in the Champions League. That's why you sign for Chelsea, because you want to play all these games and this is what is really exciting for me."
Midfielder Frank Lampard's playing time under Di Matteo has seen him start two games in a row, miss the next, and then start the next two in a row.
If that sequence continues, he will be left out on Wednesday.
"I'm not going to be asked to be rested, no, no, no!" he said. "I think we live right these days and the idea of another two or three days between the game and then playing Barcelona, if you can't get your body ready for that and your mind ready for that then I don't know how you can do anything.
"The manager will pick that team on its merits on Wednesday.
"We're fit and fresh and ready to go."
Source: PA
Source: PA