Chelsea’s Rafael Benítez wary of threat posed by Swansea’s Michu

Rafael Benítez has warned his Chelsea players that they must be at their best if they are to keep Swansea City’s Michu quiet on Wednesday.

The Blues are preparing to host Michael Laudrup’s men in the first leg of their Capital One Cup semi-final at Stamford Bridge.

Michu, who is the Swans’ top scorer this season, has won many new admirers in England since completing his move from Rayo Vallecano in the summer with a string of sparkling displays.

And Benítez admits he is a keen admirer of the 26-year-old, who moved to Swansea in a £2m deal last July.

“He’s a good player,” said the Chelsea boss. “Spanish football is more tactical than the Premier League, so some players have more problems in Spain because defenders work in a different way.

“He has good movement and gets in the right positions at the right time, so it’s good for him over here.

“It might be more difficult over there in Spain if he went back. They are tighter, more compact over there. It’s more physical over here so defenders lose their focus.”