Gary Cahill is champing at the bit to get stuck into the Champions League with Chelsea after his ‘painful’ start to the campaign.

The Blues defender was sent off just 14 minutes into the new season against Burnley for what referee Craig Pawson deemed a high tackle on Steven Defour.

The straight red card he was shown meant he missed clashes against Tottenham and Everton before the international break, as well as yesterday’s trip Leicester.

Cahill’s ban did not extend to international football, so he played in England’s World Cup qualifiers against Malta and Slovakia.

But he cannot wait to get his Chelsea season underway and is hoping to return straight to the team for Tuesday’s clash with Azerbaijani champions Qarabag FK.

Referee Craig Pawson gives Gary Cahill his marching orders (
Image:
REUTERS)

He said: “It has been painful to be fair, because obviously you want to be involved and it kills you when you’re not.

“I’ve trained near enough every day but there’s no end product at the end of the week.

“And the time period it has been spread over, it has felt massive.

“The internationals have broken it up and it has been great to get some game time for England, which is always an honour.

“But not playing for Chelsea has been a disappointment and now I’m looking forward, not behind.

“It’s a marathon of a season with so many games to play, so it was a setback but that’s all it was.”

As well as Qarabag and Chelsea, Group C contains Atletico Madrid and Roma.

Cahill added: “It’s a tough group. When you look round there’s a lot of competition in these groups and we have a difficult one.

Cahill in England training (
Image:
PA Wire)

“I don’t know a huge amount about Qarabag and it’s a good fixture for us to start off.

“Especially being at Stamford Bridge, they have had to travel a long way so it’s a great first game for us.

“I’m sure I’ll know all about them by the time we play them. Being respectful, they have earned the right to play in the competition so we don’t take them lightly at all.”

Chelsea missed out on the Champions League last season after falling apart under Jose Mourinho and finishing 10th in the previous campaign.

Cahill said: “We’re back where we deserve to be on the basis of our consistency over the majority of the seasons since I have been there.

“Obviously it’s an enjoyable competition to take part in and all the best players — ourselves, the Brazilians, the Spanish players — everyone wants to be in that competition, that’s what attracts players to come to clubs.

“People want to be playing at the top of their game, like Monday in international football.

Cahill maintained fitness for England vs Slovakia (
Image:
Action Images via Reuters)

“So for big players it’s important you’re in the competition and we’ll try to go as far as we possibly can in it.”

Cahill played in both of England’s World Cup qualifiers against Malta and Slovakia.

He added: “It was nice to get back out there, it was nice to start the season.

“I was just happy to play and the fact I’ve played two games, personally, selfishly, it was great two get two 90 minutes under my belt.

“It was a case of: job done.

“Now we want to get qualification out of the way as soon as we possibly can, that’s the target.”

poll loading

How far will Chelsea go in the Champions League?

7000+ VOTES SO FAR