Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has accused Paris Saint Germain of employing negative tactics, insisting that the Ligue 1 side are the most aggressive that the Blues have played against this season.
Eden Hazard was fouled nine times during Chelsea's 1-1 draw against the Parisians in the first leg round of sixteen of the Champions League at the Parc des Princes. And Mourinho says that he was stunned to see PSG's physicality in the first leg.
"I was surprised in that game," said Mourinho, according to ESPN. "I was surprised, because a team with fantastic players was the team with a record number of fouls, was the team making foul after foul, was the team which stopped Hazard with fouls all the time, was the team attacking the man in possession of the ball with two or three players with some very aggressive actions."
The Portuguese says that he was especially surprised to see a player like Zlatan Ibrahimovic come back and commit foul when PSG were not in possession.
"Even a player like Zlatan a typical attacking player - came back when they lost the ball and attacked Hazard from behind when we were countering."
Given the physical style of play in England, Chelsea should not be surprised to see aggression on the pitch, but Mourinho insists that Laurent Blanc's side were even more vicious than the lower division sides that the Blues have faced this season.
"I thought an English team would never be surprised by aggression, because aggression we have in our country," added the former Real Madrid boss. "This season we've played against sides from the Championship in the cups, against teams from League One, and Shrewsbury from League Two, but the most aggressive team was PSG."
"For me, that was a real surprise. With players of such quality, I was expecting more football and less aggression."
Mourinho also played down suggestions that Chelsea were thoroughly dominated by PSG in the first leg.
"What is dominate?" added the former Inter Milan boss. "If dominate is the number of chances, yes, Paris had more chances than us. If dominate is to stop the opponent to play, making foul after foul, yes they also dominate."
"If dominate is to have the ball and to move the ball without progression, yes, they also dominate. I think they dominate in everything except in the result."
