Nemanja Matic: 'I'm happy I can still walk after Ashley Barnes' tackle'

Nemanja Matic has revealed that he is happy that he can still walk after being on the receiving end of Ashley Barnes's horror tackle in February.

The Serbian midfielder was sent off for violently pushing the Burnley striker after the challenge during Chelsea's 1-1 draw with the Clarets at Stamford Bridge.

However, Matic is "happy" that he can still walk after initially believing that Barnes had broken his leg.

"To be honest I was happy when I saw the video after the game – as it was bad. I am happy that I can still play," he told The Mirror.

"My reaction was not good but this reaction was because I thought I broke a leg. I am a happy man because I can walk.

"I don't like to say that I was right to react like I did. I was not right. But this was a moment when you cannot control your emotions. I saw a replay one time only – that was enough."

Matic served a two-match ban for his red card offence and returned to action from injury in Chelsea's 2-2 draw to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.