Chelsea boss Liam Rosenior has revealed he instructed his players to get away and ‘switch off’ following a brutal fixture schedule.
Following the Blues’ 4-0 victory over Hull City in the FA Cup on Friday, several stars were pictured soaking up the sun in luxurious locations such as Dubai over recent days.
It comes after this week marked the first time Chelsea have had no game in midweek since before Christmas, and they have played 15 times in under two months.
And Rosenior, speaking ahead of his side’s clash against Burnley this weekend, explained that was part of the plan having felt it was time for his squad to recharge.
‘I looked at the players’ schedule over the last 18 months to two years,’ he said, with Chelsea having also competed in the inaugural Club World Cup last summer.
‘I encouraged the players to go and get some sun. Sometimes the best way to rejuvenate yourself is to go and switch off. I thought it was the right thing for the players.’
Chelsea boss Liam Rosenior has revealed he urged his players, including Cole Palmer (right, with girlfriend Olivia Holder), to get away and ‘switch off’ after giving them a few days off
Palmer was one of several stars to take the opportunity to travel to Dubai with his partner
Marc Cucurella also enjoyed time in the sun in the Middle East with wife Claudia Rodriguez
There he linked up with fellow Chelsea stars Pedro Neto and Joao Pedro and their partners
Cole Palmer was given the night off at Hull, but he was one star to be seen in the UAE.
The attacking midfielder had travelled to Dubai with his girlfriend Olivia Holder, who documented the romantic getaway on her Instagram page.
In one picture, Palmer could be seen in the reflection of a hotel room mirror in the background, while she took the snap holding a bouquet of flowers.
Another shot shows the gifts she had been showered with, including a Chanel bag.
They are understood to have spent the night at GAL in Dubai, a restaurant providing Turkish-Mediterranean cuisine.
The Japanese wagyu beef sets customers back £800 at the luxury establishment. The couple have been together since late last year and this was their first Valentine’s Day together.
Another picture on Holder’s Instagram story showed her lying on a sun lounger on the beach with Palmer standing a few yards away.
Elsewhere, Enzo Fernandez, Pedro Neto, Joao Pedro and Trevoh Chalobah were among the players to take a private jet to Dubai.
Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernandez were among the players seen relaxing on a private jet
Star striker Joao Pedro seemed to be relishing the experience on board the private aircraft
Pedro pictured posing in the sun with a drink in the Dubai sunshine over recent days
Pedro, Cucurella and Neto pictured enjoying some downtime after a hectic run of fixtures
Alejandro Garnacho headed off to Egypt himself and was seen riding a camel in one photo
The winger also took a dip in the sea in what appeared to be searing hot temperatures in Egypt
One photo showed Neto and Fernandez relaxing on the plane, while in another Pedro was posing.
Marc Cucurella also made the trip to Dubai with his wife Claudia Rodriguez, and met up with his team-mates, including Pedro and Neto. The trio were with their partners in one shot shared to social media.
It looked like a relaxing break in beautiful weather, yet they weren’t the only stars to head abroad.
Alejandro Garnacho also took the time to get away, as the former Man United man headed to Egypt.
During his trip to North Africa the winger visited the famous pyramids, took a dip in the sea and even rode a camel.
After the Burnley game, Chelsea will have another free week ahead of their trip to Arsenal on March 1, but their schedule refuses to let up after that.
Rosenior’s side remain in the FA Cup and Champions League, while they continue to battle for a place in the top five in the Premier League.