Gerardo Martino’s policy of alternately resting key Barcelona players will help prevent the team suffering a similar slump to the one that wrecked last season’s Champions League campaign, according to midfielder Cesc Fabregas.

Under Martino’s predecessor as coach, Tito Vilanova, Barca struggled past Milan and Paris St Germain into the last four of Europe’s elite club competition last term before they were trounced by eventual winners Bayern Munich.

The German side swept Barca aside with a combination of physical intimidation and lethal finishing to inflict a 7-0 aggregate defeat on their Spanish rivals, by far Barca’s worst reverse in Europe.

Since taking over from the ailing Vilanova, Martino has implemented a policy of resting some of his top performers for La Liga games, including Fabregas and fellow Spain midfielders Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets.

“What happened last year was a lesson,” Fabregas said in an interview with Spanish sports daily Marca yesterday.

“We were in a mess and really weak towards the end of the season,” added the former Arsenal captain.

“From February on we were having to force things. We were lacking in bite at the time when everything was decided.

“Martino is calculating the playing time really well. That will help on a physical level and in terms of competition in the squad because nobody knows who will play or who will be rested.”

Unbeaten Barcelona have started this season in impressive form, winning all eight of their domestic league outings and both Champions League games and beating Atletico Madrid over two legs to win the Spanish Super Cup.

The players return from international duty next week and Barca’s next match is a La Liga clash at Osasuna on October 19 before they play at Milan the following Tuesday and host bitter rivals Real Madrid for Spain’s ‘Clasico’ on October 26.