Chelsea interim boss Rafa Benitez is optimistic both captain John Terry and goalkeeper Petr Cech will return from injury for the Premier League trip to Stoke City on Saturday.

Terry has been out since injuring his knee in Benitez's first game in charge against Manchester City in November, while Cech suffered a thigh injury during the win at Everton before the New Year.

The Chelsea skipper played 45 minutes for Chelsea's Under 21 side on Thursday but won't start at the Britannia Stadium, but Cech, who has seen Ross Turnbull deputise in his absence, resumed training on Friday will be considered from the start.

John Terry and Petr Cech
Terry and Cech will both be in the squad for the trip to Stoke.

On Terry, Benitez said: "He played yesterday, he played ok and he's been in training today; he's on the list. He can't start yet but he is available which is good news for us after 16 weeks. Some good news.

"It is always important to have your captain as someone who has character and also he is another option for us. He is a player who is important, he is a player who comes into a position where we didn't have to many and we had to manage.

"The knee is always a problem but at the end he is fine and hopefully he will be fine until the end of the season. I was speaking to him today before the training session, he has been in no rush and there are no problems so he is fine.

"Obviously he needs to train, he needs to be fitter but it's good to have options and it's a good problem for me."

Regarding Cech, Benitez admitted: "He has been in a training session and maybe he will travel we will have to decide at the end.

"We will see [if he plays] we will check him. It's an option for us."

Benitez was however facing the prospect of travelling to the Premier League's meanest defence without any recognised strikers.

Victor Moses is away preparing for the Africa Nations Cup with Nigeria, while Demba Ba was struggling with a hamstring problem and Fernando Torres picked up a stomach bug, ruling him out of the FA Cup tie against Southampton, despite his place on the Chelsea bench.

But Chelsea will have both players available this weekend, with the pair having made a full recovery.

"He [Torres] is much better, he has been training and he is available again so it is not a problem.

"The hamstring problem was Demba Ba; Fernando had a stomach bug. Both are much better and both are available."