Juan Mata: 'Still plenty to play for'

Chelsea attacker Juan Mata has insisted that his teammates should still have plenty of "motivation" towards their remaining fixtures.

Yesterday's 2-0 defeat away at Manchester City has all but ended Chelsea's chances of finishing second in the Premier League and as a result they now face competition from North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal for a spot in the top four.

However, with the Blues still in the Europa League and FA Cup, Mata has admitted that there is still plenty to play for between now and the end of the season.

"We're sorry for our fans. The way to overcome the disappointment is winning again, and this coming Wednesday we have an opportunity to move one step forward in the FA Cup. We can still win two titles," he wrote on his personal blog page.

"That, plus getting a ticket to play the next Champions League, is our motivation with a view to the rest of the season and we will fight for those goals until the end, like this club has always done."

On Wednesday evening Chelsea travel to Championship side Middlesbrough for an FA Cup tie.