Chelsea coach Maurizio Sarri has revealed he left Eden Hazard and N'Golo Kante out of the starting line-up against Cardiff due to burnout.
Both Hazard and Kante played the majority of their countries' Euro 2020 qualifiers in the international break.
And the 60-year-old believes he has to protect his star duo ahead of the run-in in the race for the top four.
"At the moment, Kante has played 50 matches this season and Hazard 47," Sarri told Sky Sports.
"They played with the national team, Hazard for 187 minutes and Kante for 175. I think it is time to rest."
There had been calls for teenage starlet Callum Hudson-Odoi to start at the Cardiff City Stadium after impressing on his full England debut against Montenegro.
But Sarri explained that his close work with wingers Willian and Pedro, who were left out of their respective international squads, means the 18-year-old will start on the bench.
"I had the whole international break with Pedro and Willian in training so I decided to start with them."
Starting XIs
Cardiff: Etheridge, Peltier, Morrison, Ecuele Manga, Bennett, Gunnarsson, Josh Murphy, Victor Camarasa, Arter, Hoilett, Niasse.
Subs: Ralls, Zohore, Reid, Bacuna, Mendez-Laing, Harris, Brian Murphy.
Chelsea: Arrizabalaga, Azpilicueta, Rudiger, Luiz, Alonso, Kovacic, Jorginho, Barkley, Pedro, Higuain, Willian.
Subs: Kante, Hazard, Loftus-Cheek, Caballero, Giroud, Hudson-Odoi, Christensen.
