article_snippet: Paris Saint-Germain didn't play a competitive match between December 21 and January 4 .
article_snippet: Chelsea played five times during that period, including a 5-3 defeat at Tottenham on New Year's Day .
article_snippet: In explaining Chelsea's exit, you might consider that PSG didn't play a single competitive match between December 21 and January 4.
article_snippet: In that same time, Chelsea played Stoke City, West Ham, Southampton, Tottenham and Watford.
article_snippet: While Monaco broke off after winning at Metz on December 20 and didn't resume until January 4, Arsenal had to play Liverpool, QPR, West Ham, Southampton and Hull City.
article_snippet: And while Manchester City played Crystal Palace, West Brom, Burnley, Sunderland and Sheffield Wednesday, Barcelona were out of action.
article_snippet: After cruising into the winter break with an 8-1 rout of Huesca and a 5-0 win over Cordoba, when they resumed, Lionel Messi and Co - after a shock defeat by Real Sociedad - recorded thrashings of Elche (5-0, 4-0 and 6-0) and Deportivo La Coruna (4-0).
article_snippet: Barcelona had not only a winter break but a reasonably straightforward run of games in January .
article_snippet: Of course, there was no winter break in England between 2006 and 2009, but English clubs still prospered.